What is the name of your state? FL, Tampa, Hillsborough county
My son is 21 y/o lliving at home and recently had the misfortune of hitting another car and stupidly fleeing the scene. His license was recorded as suspended (due to unpaid speeding ticket, Pasco), but he has proof that he had taken care of that earlier this year.
The greatest misfortune, other than his poor decision making, is that the driver of the car was a the mother of an off-duty county sherriff's deputy who was following her son somewhere.
The traffic deputy arrived at our home looking for our son that night and said that our son was respsonsible for a hit and run with injuries and that the driver of the car had followed our son to a parking lot and written down his license number. (my first response: Injured and could drive? -immediately suspecting someone looking for a ready pay-out due to the offense) The deputy assured me she had declined EMS and that it was no doubt a protective complaint, no doubt fed by the indignation of being a victim of a hit and run.
He tried stopping by her house on Sunday to apologize (her address is on the citation), but she was not home. He left a hand-written note describing himself as the "idiot" to hit her and asking her to please call him.
Son reported to us that he had hoped there was no damage and thought the impact was slight enough that no one had noticed and that he hoped perhaps he had glanced off a highway abutment rather than another car (going through a toll booth on Veterans). He said he left because he panicked. In other accidents in the past, he has always remained at the scene, panicked, but responsible.
Another reason he left is that he has recently gotten the dream job of a 21y/o and hoped to escape the consequences - not wanting to lose the job.
On Monday, the victim had declined injury claims with the insurance company, on Tuesday, she filed injury claims to the insurance co: stiffness and soreness.
Side note: He is diagnosed and medicated as bi-polar manic-depressive.
Originally, when he went to the clerk of court to set the court date the Tuesday following the Saturday night of the accient, the charges were misdemeaner, inclding the hit and run citation. On Thursday, we recieved a letter from the insurance company that the complaintant had filed injury claims, that the insurance company would do their best to settle, but as owners of the car my son was driving, we might be subject to further lawsuits from the complainant. Friday, he recieved a letter saying his court date is cancelled and now the charge is felony and he must reset the court date.
I don't get it.
Please tell us what we should do? Is this something where he can go to court and plead with the judge himself?
We are in a bind - we are in the middle of selling our home in New Tampa (no equity, possible short sale, poor market), I am not employed and we are practically out of savings. We are in the middle of a planned move out of state.
My son will have no money if he loses his license and cannot work.
My son is 21 y/o lliving at home and recently had the misfortune of hitting another car and stupidly fleeing the scene. His license was recorded as suspended (due to unpaid speeding ticket, Pasco), but he has proof that he had taken care of that earlier this year.
The greatest misfortune, other than his poor decision making, is that the driver of the car was a the mother of an off-duty county sherriff's deputy who was following her son somewhere.
The traffic deputy arrived at our home looking for our son that night and said that our son was respsonsible for a hit and run with injuries and that the driver of the car had followed our son to a parking lot and written down his license number. (my first response: Injured and could drive? -immediately suspecting someone looking for a ready pay-out due to the offense) The deputy assured me she had declined EMS and that it was no doubt a protective complaint, no doubt fed by the indignation of being a victim of a hit and run.
He tried stopping by her house on Sunday to apologize (her address is on the citation), but she was not home. He left a hand-written note describing himself as the "idiot" to hit her and asking her to please call him.
Son reported to us that he had hoped there was no damage and thought the impact was slight enough that no one had noticed and that he hoped perhaps he had glanced off a highway abutment rather than another car (going through a toll booth on Veterans). He said he left because he panicked. In other accidents in the past, he has always remained at the scene, panicked, but responsible.
Another reason he left is that he has recently gotten the dream job of a 21y/o and hoped to escape the consequences - not wanting to lose the job.
On Monday, the victim had declined injury claims with the insurance company, on Tuesday, she filed injury claims to the insurance co: stiffness and soreness.
Side note: He is diagnosed and medicated as bi-polar manic-depressive.
Originally, when he went to the clerk of court to set the court date the Tuesday following the Saturday night of the accient, the charges were misdemeaner, inclding the hit and run citation. On Thursday, we recieved a letter from the insurance company that the complaintant had filed injury claims, that the insurance company would do their best to settle, but as owners of the car my son was driving, we might be subject to further lawsuits from the complainant. Friday, he recieved a letter saying his court date is cancelled and now the charge is felony and he must reset the court date.
I don't get it.
Please tell us what we should do? Is this something where he can go to court and plead with the judge himself?
We are in a bind - we are in the middle of selling our home in New Tampa (no equity, possible short sale, poor market), I am not employed and we are practically out of savings. We are in the middle of a planned move out of state.
My son will have no money if he loses his license and cannot work.