Hit-and-run accidents present uniquely difficult problems to police and to people seeking to recover damages from the negligent driver. Identifying the driver who fled from the scene is the first difficulty. Obtaining insurance information is often the next difficulty. A recent hit-and-run accident near Danville demonstrates these difficulties and how police solved them.
The accident
According to news reports, two women were travelling on Highway 58 when their Honda CRV suffered a mechanical failure. The two women attempted to push the car into the right lane, where they planned to wait for assistance. While the two were pushing the car, they were struck from the rear by a Honda Accord driven by a man from North Carolina.
The driver of the Honda Accord ran from the scene on foot. When emergency responders arrived, they found one of the women dead at the scene. The other was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of what were described as “serious injuries.”
Police quickly arrested the fleeing driver. He was incarcerated in the Pittsylvania County Jail and charged with one felony count of failing to stop at the scene of a traffic accident.
Consequences
If the news reports are to be believed, the fleeing driver appears to bear most of the fault for this accident. However, the two women may have been partially negligent in trying to push their vehicle instead of waiting for the police or highway patrol to arrive. Also, police have not yet released any information on whether the driver may have been impaired by alcohol or drugs. Anyone who has suffered an injury or lost a loved one in a car accident may wish to consult an experienced auto accident attorney for an evaluation of the evidence and an opinion on the likelihood of recovering damages.