Hit and Run There's No Alternative

Orange County Hit and Run Attorneys

Defending Clients Facing Hit & Run Charges in Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, & Los Angeles

A hit and run offense seems self-explanatory: A driver crashes into another vehicle or property and leaves the scene. But California laws apply to a range of behaviors, not just fleeing from the scene of an accident. When two or more vehicles collide or when someone crashes into a property, all people involved must adhere to their legal duties. Failing to do everything the law requires of a driver involved in a collision – even if the driver was not at fault – can lead to a hit and run arrest.

Depending on the circumstances, Orange County hit and run cases are prosecuted under California Vehicle Code §20001 or §20002. Our Orange County hit and run lawyers, at the Law Offices of Randy Collins represent drivers charged with these offenses.

Are you facing charges for a hit and run? Call the Law Offices of Randy Collins today at (844) 285-9559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with our hit and run lawyers in Orange County.

California Hit and Run Law

In California, a hit and run is defined as fleeing the scene or refusing to provide identification after an accident causing injury or property damage. The distinction between a misdemeanor and felony hit and run lies in who or what was injured.

Under California Vehicle Code § 20002 VC, a misdemeanor hit and run occurs when an accident results in property damage only. According to California Vehicle Code § 20001 VC, a felony hit and run is one in which the accident results in injury to another person.

Can You Get Arrested for a Hit and Run?

Because a hit and run is a violation of California law, it’s possible a person can be arrested for engaging in such conduct.

A person may be arrested for misdemeanor hit and run if they:

Failed to perform any required duty under California law,
Knew that they were involved in an accident that caused or probably caused property damage, and
The failure to perform the duty was lawful.

An arrest for felony hit and run may occur in accidents involving factors similar to those listed above, except that another person was injured or killed rather than only property being damaged.

Can You Go to Jail for a Hit and Run?

As mentioned before, a hit and run can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. Thus, if a person is convicted, they could face jail or prison time. Whether they’re sent to jail or prison depends on the level of charge levied against them.

To obtain a conviction, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that:

A car crash happened,
The offender was conscious that the accident took place,
Property (building, cars, etc.) was damaged (misdemeanor), or
A person was injured or killed (felony), and
The offender fled the scene, or
The offender refused to provide identifying documents

Penalties For Misdemeanor Hit and Run

Upon a conviction, the offender faces a range of penalties. A court may impose punishments and stipulations regardless of whether or not the defendant caused the accident.

If the offender is convicted of misdemeanor hit and run, they face:

Up to 1 year in jail
Up to $1,000 in fines
Up to 3 years’ informal probation
Victim restitution
Up to 2 points DMV reduction on driver’s license

Penalties For Felony Hit and Run

If the offender is convicted of felony hit and run, penalties include:

16 months or 2 or 3 years in prison (accident resulted in injury)
2, 3, or 4 years in prison (accident resulted in death)
Up to $10,000 in fines
Victim restitution
Up to 2 points DMV reduction on driver’s license

Statute of Limitations for Hit and Run in California

The statute of limitations provides the time limit a prosecutor has to pursue a case. For misdemeanor hit and run offenses, prosecution must commence within 1 year after the crime was committed (California Penal Code § 802).

If a hit and run is considered a felony, the prosecutor has 3 years after its commission to start the case (California Penal Code § 801).

What To Do After a Car Accident

California law imposes several duties upon drivers involved in accidents causing property damage or injury. A driver is considered “involved” in an accident if they were logically connected to it, even if their car did not collide with another vehicle, property, or person.

The duties do not depend on whether the driver was at fault or whether the accident was avoidable. Any accident in which an individual’s property was damaged or another person was injured triggers lawful responsibilities for all drivers involved.

Under California law, any person involved in an accident must do the following:

Accident Causing Property Damage

Stop at the scene of the accident as soon as is reasonably possible under the circumstances
Provide the property owner with their name and current residential address
Upon request, show their driver’s license to the property owner
If the driver was not driving their own vehicle, provide the name and current residential address of the vehicle’s owner
If the property owner cannot be immediately located, leave the required information in a note placed conspicuously on the damaged property, and promptly report the accident to the city police or the Highway Patrol (if the accident did not occur within city limits).

Accident Causing Injury to Someone Else

Stop at the scene of the accident as soon as is reasonably possible under the circumstances
Provide reasonable assistance to every injured person
Upon request, show driver’s license to the injured person(s) or law enforcement officials on the scene
Provide the injured person or police officer with the name and address of the vehicle’s owner as well as the vehicle registration number
Identify all occupants of the driver’s vehicle who were injured
Promptly notify an appropriate law enforcement agency of the accident

Most hit and run offenses involve collisions, but any driving that leads to an accident triggers the duties described above. For instance, if a person swerved into another driver’s lane, running that driver off the road and into a lamppost, the person must stop and take the actions described above.

Hit and Run Defense Strategy

Because “running” is not necessarily part of a hit and run charge, the defense mounted will depend on the facts, including those the prosecutor can or cannot prove.

Hit and run defense strategy include:

The accused did not know and had no reason to know, that the accident occurred.
The accused did not know and had no reason to believe that injury and/or property damage occurred during the accident.
The accused was not driving.
The assistance the accused provided to an injury victim, even if minimal, was reasonable under the circumstances.
The accused stopped when it was reasonable to do so under the circumstances (because stopping earlier would have been dangerous).
The accused made reasonable attempts to timely notify the police under the circumstances.
The accused made reasonable attempts to give the required information to the other person(s) involved in the accident but could not do so for reasons that were beyond the accused’s control.
The accused was injured in the accident and reasonably obtained medical care before reporting the accident.
The accused was unable to comply with their duties due to a loss of consciousness or other medical condition.
The accused complied with all duties and is being falsely accused of failing to do so.

Because every case is different, other defenses might also be available.

Contact Our Hit and Run Lawyers Today

If you’ve been charged with a hit and run offense, the fear of not knowing what could happen can be paralyzing. At The Law Offices of Randy Collins, our hit and run attorneys provide every caller and client with the personal attention they need to feel secure throughout their case.

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Contact the Law Offices of Randy Collins today to get started on your defense with our Orange County hit and run attorneys.

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WHY WE'RE THE RIGHT CHOICE

Over 45 years of Collective Experience
Thousands of Cases Successfully Handled
Former Deputy District Attorney
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GET DEFENSE FROM AN AWARD-WINNING TEAM OF ATTORNEYS

Over the years our firm has earned numerous awards and accolades for delivering outstanding legal representation. Some of our awards include: Admission to The National Top Trial Lawyers Association since 2014, AVVO Rating 10.0 Superb Rating, American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys Award "10 Best Attorney Client Satisfaction" in 2018, Nationally Ranked Top 100 Under 40 in California Attorney Award in 2017, Member of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce since 2018, Martindale-Hubbell Accredited Law Firm, Distinguished in Orange County Metro "Top Attorneys" section, and Featured in Orange Coast Magazine in April 2010 as one of "Orange County's Best Criminal Defense Attorneys".

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At Law Offices of Randy Collins, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our clients have to say about working with us.

"In life you need a good mechanic, a good Doctor, and a Super Lawyer."
There’s no words to describe Mr. Collins, not just as an attorney but a Super and Great Human Being. He has been an “Angel” and “Life Saver” for one of my family members.
By Profession, I’m a Radio and TV Host, and I’ve interviewed and talked to quite a few in this Profession, and trust me when I say, that I’m so impressed with Mr. Collins and in today’s modern times it’s hard to find someone that works so hard, cares, and makes things happen!!!
In life you need a good mechanic, a good Doctor, and a Super Lawyer. Trust him, believe in him and you become one of the “Winners” by hitting “Jackpot” with your legal needs:)

Victor
"The one attorney you want on your side!"
He is amazing!! I'm am happy to say that my daughter's charges were dismissed! Randy did an excellent job!!! I couldn't have made a better decision the day I called his office.

Leslie
"I am extremley grateful for their help!"
Randy, Chris, and his team are amazing. Having talked to other offices, this one was the most responsive, caring, and downright most helpful. They are all super knowledgeable in defense and I am extremely grateful for their help. I 100% recommend and suggest you try a consultation.

John
"Randy is one of the best attorney's you could ever have."
Randy is one of the best attorneys you could ever have. I’m eternally grateful to Randy and his team for his dedication and professionalism. Randy is very brilliant when it comes to felonies, probation violations, or other criminal cases... Randy is the best lawyer you can have. when other lawyers told me they couldn’t help me out... Randy always told me he can help me and there was never an impossible case to bring in his favor. He was always in touch and keeping me updated on my case, and he gave me the peace and comfort I needed during difficult times. This is the second time he has had to help me stay away from jail. I will never look into other lawyers. I’ll be a loyal client to Randy from now on. You are #1, Randy. Thank you

Adriana
"An Attorney I Could Trust"
I called to inquire about a case I was facing, this was one of the many attorneys I was speaking with during a free consult about my next steps. The future was looking more and more alarming as the implications of what I was facing were becoming clear. Halfway through explaining my situation, he interrupted me and asked some basic information, put me on hold for one second and came back telling me he had called around and found out that my case was not proceeding. Four other attorneys I had spoken to did not do this, and in fact had used scare tactics and worst case scenarios to try and hard sell me into signing a retainer. (unfortunately, the evening before I HAD with another attorney signed a retainer but thats for another review) Although I did not need to retain the services of this office, I believe that single action speaks worlds about the integrity, helpfulness, intelligence and capabilities of this office. In a world that is so difficult for the uninitiated, such as the legal system, it seems people are taking advantage of you at every turn. It was a welcome and uplifting experience to see the opposite of that with this law office and I am so grateful I was able to find them and know I could call them if anything were to ever happen to me later in life and know I could trust this team.

Chris
"Handled my case in record time with the best possible outcome."
Randy is awesome! I called so many attorneys and in all honesty he is such an incredible person. All of his office staff is friendly, professional and knowledgeable. He really cares about the welfare of his clients and takes time to discuss your needs in person. I highly recommend him. He handled my case in record time with the best possible outcome.

Staci
"Caring and Genuine Attorney"
I called the office and right off the bat, I was super impressed at how much help I was receiving without even meeting in person. Chris (the guy who answered my call) is extremely nice and he explains everything so well. He told me how he used to work at the courts for many years (that gave me relief that he knew what he was talking about). Randy (the attorney) is delightful as well and put my worries to rest with his expertise and knowledge. You can tell by his demeanor and how passionate he speaks, that he is genuine and he cares about his clients. This office handles everything from DUI cases to just about anything criminal related.

Former Client
"We are forever thankful to have found Randy."
I cannot express how grateful I am to Randy and his team for the amazing job representing my dad. He was detailed, dedicated, and truly caring for my family throughout the entire process. We are forever thankful to have found Randy. It is rare to find a legal team that feels like extended family. We truly felt so cared for by him and Chris. His knowledge and expertise helped guide us through a very difficult situation and we are so happy to have found this team. I would refer Randy to anyone looking for legal representation. Randy is the best lawyer to call!!

Julia

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