Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
Were you arrested or given a notice to appear for leaving the scene of an accident in Florida? Or, have you received calls from the police requesting to discuss you leaving the scene of an accident with them? If so, there are steps you can take to avoid being found guilty even if you really did hit a car and then leave the scene.
Leaving the scene of an accident, or “hit and run” as it is commonly called, is governed by
Florida Statute section 316.061. Under that section, the offense of leaving the scene is committed when you:
- are involved in an accident or crash with another person’s property; such as a vehicle, building, or structure; and
- willfully leave the scene of the accident or crash without providing your name, address, registration information, and driver’s license to the owner of the property.
If the owner of the property is not present for you to provide your information or cannot be readily located, you are required to report the accident or crash to the nearest law enforcement agency and provide your name, address, registration information, and driver’s license. Continue reading