What should I do regarding failure to leave information after an accident?
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What should I do regarding failure to leave information after an accident?
Another truck and myself going in opposite directions clipped driver side mirrors and that was the only damage.Ii looked in my rearview and didn’t see him stopping so I continued on. I thought that it wasn’t that big an issue. It turns out that he did turn around just further down the road. My boss called me an hour later saying that they were looking for me so I went straight to the police station. I spoke with the officer that was on the scene and gave him my info. He said that if charges were pressed I would get a class B misdemeanor for failure to leave info.
Asked on April 23, 2011 under Criminal Law, Texas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
You have basically two options, besides simply accepting any charges filed against you. First, you could fight the charges on a factual basis--for example, that the truck drove away so you had no way to leave the information for him (you'd argue that there was no way to know he'd stop later). Second, you could try to negotiate or "plead" any charges down further, particularly if you otherwise have a good record (the authorities tend to be more lenient with those who don't have a history of criminal charges). For either, the help of an experienced attorney, especially one who knows the local prosecutors, would be invaluable, so you should retain a lawyer to advise and represent you. Good luck.
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