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Originally Posted by wa75 What is the name of your state? WA
I was the designated driver of my friend's father's car about a month ago. We were making a left turn in the left turn lane probably going 10 MPH when I struck the front end of a bike and a pedestrian was riding. The pedestrian obviously has the right of way in all situations, but she/he was crossing when the light said not to and my light was green. The pedestrian fell onto the ground and then sat up. I did not drive over any part of the bike or pedestrian, the front right bumper of my car just hit the front wheel of his/her bike. I proceeded to drive off, out of fear, and a month later the owner of the car got a letter in the mail saying he needed to provide his insurance information to the seattle police because the pedestrian needs to have his/her hospital stay paid for. There were witnesses that got the liscense plate/make of the car, so they know it was his car that hit the bike.
Nowhere in the letter did it say anything about going to court or charges, it only asked for insurance information. I am providing my insurance information to the police, as it said so to avoid a lawsuit. My question is, what kind of charges am I possibly facing if any? Or is the pedestrian just trying to get his/her injuries paid for? I have one speeding ticket (10 MPH over the limit) and nothing at all on my record. As I said, the car was going quite slow and I only knocked him/her off their bike so I don't imagine the injuries were extremely bad. |
Q: My question is, what kind of charges am I possibly facing if any?
A: Felony leaving the scene of an accident where there was personal injury.
Standard answer
Here are some hints on appearing in court:
Dress professionally in clean clothes.
Do not wear message shirts.
Don't chew gum, smoke, or eat. (Smokers...pot or tobacco...literally stink. Remember that before you head for court.)
Bathe and wash your hair.
Do not bring small children or your friends.
Go to court beforehand some day before you actually have to go to watch how things go.
Speak politely and deferentially. If you argue or dispute something, do it professionally and without emotion.
Ask the court clerk who you talk to about a diversion (meaning you want to plead to a different, lesser charge), if applicable in your situation. Ask about traffic school and that the ticket not go on your record, if applicable. Ask also about getting a hardship driving permit, if applicable. Ask about drug court, if applicable.
From marbol:
“Judge...
You forgot the one thing that I've seen that seems to frizz up most judges these days:
If you have a cell phone, make DAMN SURE that it doesn't make ANY noise in the courtroom. This means when you are talking to the judge AND when you are simply sitting in the court room.
If you have a ‘vibrate’ position on your cell phone, MAKE sure the judge DOESN'T EVEN HEAR IT VIBRATE!
Turn it off or put it in silent mode where it flashes a LED if it rings. AND DON'T even DREAM about answering it if it rings.”
(Better yet, don’t carry your cell phone into the courtroom.)”
Here are five stories that criminal court judges hear the most (and I suggest you do not use them or variations of them):
1. I’ve been saved! (This is not religion specific; folks from all kinds of religious backgrounds use this one.)
2. My girlfriend/mother/sister/daughter/wife/ex-wife/niece/grandma/grand-daughter is pregnant/sick/dying/dead/crippled/crazy and needs my help.
3. I’ve got a job in [name a state five hundred miles away].
4. This is the first time I ever did this. (This conflicts with number 5 below, but that hasn’t stopped some defendants from using both.)
5. You’ve got the wrong guy. (A variation of this one is the phantom defendant story: “It wasn’t me driving, it was a hitchhiker I picked up. He wrecked the car, drug me behind the wheel then took off.” Or, another variation: “I was forced into it by a bad guy!”)
[url]http://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?p=854687#post854687[/url]
Public defender’s advice
[url]http://newyork.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/70300494.html[/url]
Other people may give you other advice; stand by.
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