HIT and RUN - But I didnt RUN!

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kmechico

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Waiting to see if I will be charged, but I didnt Hit and Run. I was in a fender bender getting onto a freeway and I couldnt park behind/infront of the them b/c it was too dangerous on the road and I almost got side swiped trying to do so, so i honked to them to follow me down the highway bridge we were on to a safer place to exchange info. I waited 10 min & no one showed. I got back onto the freeway made a uturn from the next exit & went back to the on ramp the accident happend, NO ONE WAS THERE I figured they left the scene b/c they had no insurnace or they didnt feel their car was damaged. I didnt call police because I didnt know what to report as i was the person who hit someone and the person I hit was gone. Also, I wasnt injured so I didnt think to call. Well, the other driver did call CHP(no injuries) & apparently I missed them and the CHP officer who showed up, finally driving down the bridge to a safe location when I went searching for them after I waited those first 10 min. The cop found me & took my statemnt the next day, i told my side. The cop said she was with the other driver for 20 minutes, but that was after I had already waited those first 10 minutes, and I never saw them (driver and cop) on the side of the road. I dont know if I will be charged or if the hit and run will just be sent to the dmv. Can you have a hit and run to the dmv without being charged? If I am charged what do I do? I am a good person, nothing like this has ever happened to me before, I have never done anything wrong or have any type of record. I waited and did the right thing trying to exchange info with this other driver, timing was off and I missed the other person. My insurance is paying for their car if they do indeed have damage, I was in a rental car and had rental car insurance, so my biggest fear is this charge. And I drive for a living, cant have this on my record legally or dmv wise. My husband and I want to move out of state too, how could this effect us? I am sooo scared and cant sleep at all! Thank you for any advise in advance
 
Waiting to see if I will be charged, but I didnt Hit and Run. I was in a fender bender getting onto a freeway and I couldnt park behind/infront of the them b/c it was too dangerous on the road and I almost got side swiped trying to do so, so i honked to them to follow me down the highway bridge we were on to a safer place to exchange info. I waited 10 min & no one showed. I got back onto the freeway made a uturn from the next exit & went back to the on ramp the accident happend, NO ONE WAS THERE I figured they left the scene b/c they had no insurnace or they didnt feel their car was damaged. I didnt call police because I didnt know what to report as i was the person who hit someone and the person I hit was gone. Also, I wasnt injured so I didnt think to call. Well, the other driver did call CHP(no injuries) & apparently I missed them and the CHP officer who showed up, finally driving down the bridge to a safe location when I went searching for them after I waited those first 10 min. The cop found me & took my statemnt the next day, i told my side. The cop said she was with the other driver for 20 minutes, but that was after I had already waited those first 10 minutes, and I never saw them (driver and cop) on the side of the road. I dont know if I will be charged or if the hit and run will just be sent to the dmv. Can you have a hit and run to the dmv without being charged? If I am charged what do I do? I am a good person, nothing like this has ever happened to me before, I have never done anything wrong or have any type of record. I waited and did the right thing trying to exchange info with this other driver, timing was off and I missed the other person. My insurance is paying for their car if they do indeed have damage, I was in a rental car and had rental car insurance, so my biggest fear is this charge. And I drive for a living, cant have this on my record legally or dmv wise. My husband and I want to move out of state too, how could this effect us? I am sooo scared and cant sleep at all! Thank you for any advise in advance

Hire a lawyer.

Don't you think this is too serious to ask a bunch of strangers on the internet?

If things are important to you like you said, spend some money and hire a lawyer, YOUR lawyer, a LAWYER licensed in California.

Ask your friends or relatives for the names of good lawyers.

Or, look through the Yellow Pages and meet a few.

The initial interview is free.

Good luck!!!!
 
so i honked to them to follow me down the highway bridge we were on to a safer place to exchange info. I waited 10 min & no one showed. I got back onto the freeway made a uturn from the next exit & went back to the on ramp the accident happend, NO ONE WAS THERE I figured they left the scene b/c they had no insurnace or they didnt feel their car was damaged.
Be sure to tell that to the police and, if you testify at trial, to the judge. They may not buy it, but, okay.

The law require you stop immediately - if safe to do so - and exchange information. I suspect that the other driver will articulate all the safe places that you failed to stop at.

I didnt call police because I didnt know what to report as i was the person who hit someone and the person I hit was gone.
And by not making that call, you lent greater credibility to a claim of a hit-and-run.

Well, the other driver did call CHP(no injuries) & apparently I missed them and the CHP officer who showed up, finally driving down the bridge to a safe location when I went searching for them after I waited those first 10 min.
ALl that searching you did and you never found them? A cynic might say that it was convenient of you to wait for ten minutes down the road for a vehicle that would have, ostensibly, been right behind you or very near by.

The cop found me & took my statemnt the next day, i told my side. The cop said she was with the other driver for 20 minutes, but that was after I had already waited those first 10 minutes, and I never saw them (driver and cop) on the side of the road. I dont know if I will be charged or if the hit and run will just be sent to the dmv. Can you have a hit and run to the dmv without being charged?
Hit-and-run is a criminal offense - a misdemeanor per CVC 20002. The DMV doesn't handle criminal matters.

If cited and convicted in a criminal court for 20002 you might find some repercussions from the DMV to your license. Otherwise, you might only see a one point hit for being the cause of the crash.

If I am charged what do I do?
Exercise your right to keep silent and contact an attorney.

If the officer did not issue a citation at the scene, you should be okay.

The collision report should be completed within 10 days. Call the local office (near where this occurred) and ask about obtaining a copy of the report. When you get it, you can see under the heading "Recommendations" whether or not citation and prosecution is being recommended.
 
You didn't say that the CHP officer issued you a citation... if not then you likely don't have to worry about this. The officer apparently obtained your info and handled this like any other fender bender.
 
If you havent been charged then you probably wont be. Not saying they may noy file hit and run charges on you at a later date but if the chp didnt at the time then you should be in the clear. And if they do end up filing charges then do as army said and hire an attorney asap. Good luck.
 
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