Any thoughts?

[BigDall]

After leaving a restaurant, 4 hours earlier, I received a phone call from the police that a witness has me backing into another vehicle in the parking lot. I drive a full-size Bronco with all my tools in the back and never saw a vehicle behind me nor was aware I backed into any vehicle.
I received a criminal citation for "Leaving the scene", has anyone lived through this court procedure or does anyone have any insight as to what I can do when my court date arises.?

 

[Vincent Cosent]

I assume this is only about property damage

When the cops called you and then gave you a citation you should have immediately reported the information to your insurance company and gave them your story. Ask the insurance company to investigate and if the evidence shows you were at fault how you should plead when you go to court.This is only an opinion.

 

[dabear]

What type of damage was done to your vehicle? Were there damage to the other vehicle? Did you know you hit a veh? Sometimes I investigate hit and runs when the running vehicle actually had no clue of the collision. Usually the vehicle will be a semi or bus or a big vehicle like yours in nature where a little bump could not be felt. If there were hardly any damage probably be some what easy to explain to a judge. If there is extensive damage, that's another story.

 

[racer72]

If my phone rang and someone told me they were the police, I would have hung up figuring it was a joke. I asked some police officer friends last night about calling someone on the phone and none of them had ever made a cold call over a minor accident. Just seems strange to me.

 

[BigDall]

When I recieved the original call I too thought it was a joke, and disregarded it. I notified my Insurance company the following morning to the fact that I may have been involved in an accident. They took my info and reported to me the following day that the other person was also covered by the same insr. The insurance co. is for military personnel and immediate family,so I am assuming the cop new the "victim" so explains his calling me on the phone and his rude behavior.
There is no real sign of an accident on my vehicle[although I have a trailer hitch on the back of my truck] which has some black paint on it, a small sign of the other vehicle.
My problem is I am unsure how to approach this for a criminal violation. I have never had a motor vehicle accident in 18 years of driving and am unsure of the court process

 

[dabear]

Did you provide a statement to the police? Somewhere along the line the officer believes he/she has PC that you knew you hit the vehicle then left the scene.

Since you have been charged, you will receive a court date. Hit and run unattended is a misdemeanor. Your lawyer should be able to get you off on this one if you are correct in what your saying.

Now, if there is substantial damage to either vehicle, that might be harder to prove that you had no knowledge of the collision.