Greeley Hit and Run Causing Death Attorney
The Difference between Careless Driving Causing Death and Hit and Run Causing Death

Click here to read about the differences in the charges Careless Driving Causing Death and Hit and Run or Failure to Report Causing Death in Weld County.

Usually when a person is killed in a car accident, Vehicular Homicide, Careless Driving Causing Death, or Hit and Run Causing Death is charged in Greeley and Weld County. While it’s understanding why someone would panic after getting into an accident, the charges are much more severe when a person leaves the scene of an accident. Let’s look at the difference between Careless Driving Causing Death versus Failure to Report Accidents Involving Death in Colorado.

Weld County Careless Driving Causing Death Lawyer: Definition of Careless Driving

The Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, Colorado law definition of Careless Driving – C.R.S. 42-4-1402 – is:

A person who drives a motor vehicle, bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or low-power scooter in a careless and imprudent manner, without due regard for the width, grade, curves, corners, traffic, and use of the streets and highways and all other attendant circumstances, is guilty of careless driving.

When the Careless Driving is the cause of death to another person, it is charged as a class 1 traffic misdemeanor, which is punishable by 10 days to one year in the Weld County Jail and up to $1,000 in fines.

Hit and Run Causing Death Attorney: Definition of Failure to Report Accidents Causing Death in Greeley

The Colorado law definition of Duty to Report Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injuries – C.R.S. 42-4-1601 – is:

The driver of any vehicle directly involved in an accident resulting in injury to, serious bodily injury to, or death of any person shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close to the scene as possible or shall immediately return to the scene of the accident. The driver shall then remain at the scene of the accident.

The penalty for leaving the scene and violating this statue in Greeley, Erie and Evans is a class 3 felony if the accident resulted in the death of any person. A class 3 felony is punishable by 4 to 12 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections and up to $750,000 in fines. This is a huge difference from the penalties related to a Careless Driving charge.

If you or someone you love has been charged with, accused of, or ticketed for Careless Driving Causing Death or Hit and Run Causing Death, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009 to schedule a free consultation. Together, we can protect your future.

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