Did you know that you could be sentenced to the Colorado Department of Corrections for leaving the scene of a traffic accident? This is true if someone has been seriously injured (or killed) in an accident in Weld, Morgan or Logan County.
This a Serious, Unknown Crime in Greeley, Windsor and Eaton
Leaving the Scene of an Accident – C.R.S. 42-4-1601 (read more about traffic crimes in Weld County) requires that 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…” If you fail to stop at the scene of an accident along I-25 on your way to Johnstown (the 3rd most dangerous road in Colorado), you could face serious consequences:
- Class 1 Misdemeanor: If the accident results with the injury of a person and you don’t stop.
- Class 5 Felony: If the accident results in serious bodily injury of a person and you don’t stop.
- Class 3 Felony: If the accident results in the death of a person and you don’t stop.
The sentences range anywhere from up to 18 months in the Weld County jail (class 1 misdemeanor), up to 12 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. If you are convicted of leaving the scene of an accident in Greeley, Fort Lupton, or Eerie, you will also lose your driver’s license. (It is important to note that you will not be charged with leaving the scene of an accident if you leave the scene for the purpose of reporting the accident.)
An Unjust Sentence for the Crime
This is an extremely unjust sentence. When you are in a crisis and need to make a decision about whether or not to leave the scene of an accident, are you taking into consideration the fact that you could face a misdemeanor or felony? The kind of person who makes a bad decision to shirk responsibility and leave the scene of an accident is not the kind of person who needs to spend 12 years in prison. A shorter punishment would suffice. Treating people who leave the scene of an accident the same as drug dealers, burglars and rapists, is overkill. Our prisons are overflowing, and it is of no help to society that people convicted of leaving the scene of an accident spend a long time in prison.
We care about each and every one of our clients. We understand the emotions that are involved in a serious traffic accident. If you have been charged with leaving the scene of an accident in Weld, Morgan or Logan County, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009, or submit the “Get Help Now” form. Together, we can protect your future.
Image Credit: Pixabay – JosepMonter