Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Injury

If you were involved in a traffic crash or accident involving personal injury or serious bodily injury to another person, then you need to remain at the scene and call for help. If you leave the scene, you can be charged with a criminal offense—either a misdemeanor or a felony.

Under Utah code 41-6a-401.3, if the driver of a vehicle has reason to believe that the operator may have been involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, then the driver is required to do all of the following:

• immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close to it as possible without obstructing traffic more than is necessary; and
• remain at the scene of the accident until the operator has fulfilled the requirements of Section 41-6a-401.7 (the basics of that section are to render aid to injured persons, facilitate or call for transportation to a medical facility, and exchange personal information including vehicle and driver license information)

The term “reason to believe” is defined to mean “information from which a reasonable person would believe that the person may have been involved in an accident.”

The term “serious bodily injury” is defined to mean “bodily injury which involves a substantial risk of death, unconsciousness, extreme physical pain, protracted and obvious disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty.”

If you left the scene, then a criminal investigation has begun. In many of these cases, a law enforcement officer might be looking for you, especially if a witness at the scene got the license plate number of the vehicle that you were driving.

Within a few hours, days, or even weeks of the crash, an investigating officer might come knocking on your door to interrogate you about the crash. If you retain an attorney, the attorney can help you assert your right to remain silent and your right to have an attorney representing you at every stage of the case. An attorney can contact the investigating officer on your behalf.

Attorneys for Leaving the Scene with Injury in Salt Lake County, Utah

The attorneys at Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat, LLP, represent individuals involved in leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury or serious bodily injury. We are experienced in representing clients after a misdemeanor or felony accusation that they were involved in a "hit and run" crash in Salt Lake City or the surrounding areas in Utah. Call (801) 532-5297 so we can get to work for you today.

Additional Information about Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Injury in Utah

• Penalties for Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Injury
• Accident Involving Death

Penalties for Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Injury

The crime of leaving the scene of a crash involving injury to a person is punishable as a class A misdemeanor. The crime can be charged as a third-degree felony if the accident resulted in serious bodily injury to a person.

Accident involving death

If a driver of a vehicle who has reason to believe that he or she may have been involved in an accident resulting in death, the person is required to do all of the following:

• immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close to it as possible without obstructing traffic more than is necessary; and
• remain at the scene of the accident until the operator has fulfilled the requirements of Section 41-6a-401.7 (again, the basics of that section are to render aid to injured persons, facilitate or call for transportation to a medical facility, and exchange personal information including vehicle and driver license information) 

If the operator has reason to believe that the operator may have been involved in an accident only after leaving the scene of the accident, the operator shall immediately comply as nearly as possible with the requirements of Section 41-6a-401.7.

Any person who violates the law and leaves the scene of an accident involving death can be charged with a third-degree felony. 

Finding an Attorney for Accident Involving Injury (Hit and Run)

If you were involved in a crash involving personal injury or serious bodily injury, then contact an experienced criminal defense attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah, at Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat. We can help you fight to defend your case.

Call (801) 532-5297 today to discuss your case and possible defenses to a felony or misdemeanor charge.