DUI Hit & Run
Any time that you are involved in a traffic accident with another motor vehicle, California law mandates that you stop at the accident scene, exchange contact information with any other drivers involved, and assist anyone that was injured or killed. Failure to fulfill these obligations is the crime known as “hit and run.” A California hit and run charge accompanied by a DUI charge is an even more serious offense.
Being involved in a California Hit and Run, regardless of fault, is an upsetting and frightening event. It is not uncommon for individuals to find themselves in a state of fear and anxiety because they were not thinking clearly and left the scene of the accident. People often worry about getting a DUI, sometimes not wanting to get caught driving on a suspended license, and sometimes Clients don’t want to take responsibility for an accident if they don’t have money or insurance coverage.
The law requires all drivers involved in a Hit and Run accident, regardless of fault or injury, to stop and immediately exchange license and insurance information. Failure to comply with this law can lead to an arrest for misdemeanor (non-injury) or felony (injury) Hit and Run charges being filed against you. In either event, leaving the scene without exchanging license and insurance information is a serious offense.
If you are convicted of a Hit and Run offense, it will create a permanent criminal record. If you have made this mistake, you are not alone. Early intervention by an experienced and skilled attorney can minimize or even eliminate this offense from tarnishing your otherwise good record.
Fiumara & Milligan Law, PC Can Help
If you are under investigation or have been charged with drunk driving involving a hit and run accident in Northern California, it is important that you contact Fiumara & Milligan Law, PC immediately. The sooner you speak with one of our DUI lawyers, the sooner we can begin protecting your rights and preparing your case.
DUI Hit and Run Charges
Drunk driving during a hit and run accident is a case that generally involves multiple offenses. There is the DUI charge, the hit and run charge, and—depending on the severity of the accident and whether anyone other than the drunk driver was injured or killed—other charges for reckless driving, bodily injury, vehicular homicide, and other offenses may apply and lead to harsher penalties if you are convicted. Whether or not you have any prior DUI offenses can also be a factor in the prosecution’s case against you.
Hit & Run with DUI Causing Bodily Injury
If no one was hurt during your hit and run accident, then the crime will be charged as a misdemeanor—unless, of course, this is your fourth DUI offense. A charge of a Hit & Run with DUI resulting in serious bodily injury or death to another person other than the drunk driver is consider a felony crime and therefore, a violent crime.
Even if this is your first offense and you don’t have any prior DUI convictions over the past 10 years, you could be ordered to serve up to four years in state prison and pay a $10,000 maximum fine. A DUI Hit & Run that is a second, third, or subsequent DUI offense can lead to even harsher punishments.
Wobbler DUIs
However, certain felony DUIs can end up being tried as wobbler DUIs (also known as gross misdemeanors) which can result in less severe penalties (such as probation or jail time instead of time in state prison). The seriousness of the victim’s injuries, the degree of neglect or malice involved, and whether you have any prior DUI convictions can affect whether or not the prosecution can be persuaded to try your case as a wobbler instead of a felony.
DUI Hit and Run Involving Vehicular Manslaughter or Homicide
If you are convicted of DUI and vehicular manslaughter or DUI and vehicular homicide related to a hit and run accident, you will receive an additional five-year state prison term added to your sentence and to any other penalties that apply to your case.
The only way to fight the DUI charges against you is to retain the services of an experienced Santa Rosa DUI law firm that knows how to properly defend you.
Why contact a Santa Rosa Hit and Run attorney now?
The sooner you contact our office, the quicker we can help you accomplish the following goals:
- Avoid arrest.
- Avoid the embarrassment of being arrested at home or at work.
- Avoid the stress and anxiety that accompanies an arrest.
- Avoid the expense of having to post bail.
- Avoid the time and expense of your case going to Court.
- Most importantly, avoid a conviction that will tarnish your good record.
- Avoid penalties that come with a conviction.
At Fiumara & Milligan Law, PC we understand the fear and anxiety associated with being involved in a Hit and Run accident in California.
Our firm specializes in helping people involved in accidents and who have left the scene without exchanging license and insurance information for whatever reason, including assisting those who have allowed fear and anxiety to get the best of them.
Attorneys Michael A. Fiumara and Justin O. Milligan have been representing s facing these charges in California for more than 24 years. Our Clients have always appreciated our skill in a Courtroom and our successes in effectively keeping many cases out of the Courts and off our Clients’ records whenever possible.
To request your free consultation with an experienced Santa Rosa DUI Hit and Run Lawyer today, please call our office at (707) 571-8600 in our centrally located Santa Rosa office in Sonoma County or call our office in San Rafael in Marin County at (415) 492-4507.