Leaving the Scene of Accident in a car, or a Hit and Run (CRS 42-4-1601), can range from anywhere to a class 1 misdemeanor if the person is injured to a class 3 felony if the person dies in Greeley, Kearsey, or Milliken. This is a serious Weld County charge and can change the course of someone’s life if they are charged with or convicted of this crime. On New Year’s Eve, a boy running from a fight was hit and killed by a driver who fled the scene. Police arrested a nineteen year-old girl who was related to other boys involved in the fight because she had some damage to her car. Police thought it was an open-and-shut case and proceeded to assure reporters and other media that the hit and run driver was apprehended.
They got the wrong person. The girl had an alibi which was corroborated by many different witnesses. Plus, the girl was able to prove that the damage to her car was caused previously. After spending seven days in the Boulder County Jail, the District Attorney dropped the charges and the young woman was released. But, her reputation has been permanently damaged by the accusations from police and time spent in jail. She has not been able to find a job because businesses do not want to be associated with her after the arrest, and many people in her town still believe she is guilty and are treating her badly. She wants a public apology from law enforcement. We think she deserves the apology.
Police and District Attorneys are the same whether they are in Weld County, Erie, Wiggins or Eaton. They don’t like to be wrong. And when they are proven wrong, they rarely admit it publicly. They quietly release the person from jail or drop charges and let the falsely accused go back to their lives. Unfortunately, by this time the damage is already done. The person has those charges and an arrest on their record and must go through the hassle to get them removed. The innocent person who was arrested may have lost their job or incurred tow charges for their car. Many people in the community may be unaware of the dropped charges and continue to treat the person as if they are guilty.
Being accused of a felony crime is a serious matter, and you need to quickly attack your charges with an experienced defense lawyer. If police arrest you for misdemeanor or felony crime charges, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.