Source: https://scmoorelaw.com/virginia-hit-and-run-charge-va-code-46-2-894-46-2-896-46-2-895/
Timestamp: 2019-05-25 14:06:01
Document Index: 464506480

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 46', '§ 46', '§ 46', '§ 46', '§ 46', '§ 46', '§ 46', '§ 46']

Virginia Hit and Run Charge: Va. Code §§ 46.2-894, 46.2-895, 46.2-896, 46.2-897 | Law Office of Samuel C. Moore, PLLC
Virginia Hit and Run Charge: Va. Code §§ 46.2-894, 46.2-895, 46.2-896, 46.2-897
What is a hit and run charge in Virginia?
Hit and Run involving an attended vehicle:
According to Virginia Code § 46.2-894, the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident where someone is killed or injured, or where an attended vehicle or other attended property is damaged must stop near the scene of the accident, without blocking traffic, and report their name, address, driver’s license number, and vehicle registration number to either the police, the person struck and injured if the person is capable of understanding the information, or to another driver or passenger the vehicle collided with.
Hit and Run involving an unattended vehicle:
According to Virginia Code § 46.2-896, the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident where an unattended vehicle or property is damaged must make a reasonable effort to find the owner of the vehicle or property and report the same information required in § 46.2-894 if such driver is found. If the owner cannot be found, the driver must leave a note or other information including driver identification and contact information and must report the accident in writing within 24 hours to the police.
Is there a duty for the passenger to report the hit and run?
Duty of Passengers to Report:
According to Virginia Code § 46.2-895 (hit and run involving attended property, injury or death) and § 46.2-897 (hit and run involved unoccupied property), a passenger who is 16 or older and knows the driver failed to report an accident must report the accident within 24 hours, otherwise the passenger can be charged with hit and run.
What are the penalties for a hit and run charge in Virginia?
1) Penalties for Drivers:
When is it a felony?
Failure of a driver to report an accident involving an attended vehicle is a Class 5 Felony if the accident results in injury or death to any person, or if the accident results in more than $1,000 in damage. A Class 5 Felony holds a punishment of jail up to 10 years and a fine up to $2,500.
When is it a misdemeanor?
If the resulting damage is $1000 or less and no injury or death occurs, failure of a driver to report an accident involving an attended vehicle is a Class 1 Misdemeanor, which holds a punishment of jail up to 1 year and a fine up to $2,500. If the damage is less than $1,000, but more than $500, the driver’s license can be suspended for up to 6 months.
Failure of a driver to report an accident involving an unattended vehicle resulting in damage of $250 or more is a Class 1 Misdemeanor, which holds a punishment of jail up to 12 months and a fine up to $2,500. If the damage is less than $250, failure to report the accident is a Class 4 Misdemeanor, which holds a fine up to $250.
If the damage resulting from an accident involving an unattended vehicle is greater than $500, the driver’s license can be suspended for up to 6 months, in addition to being charged with a Class 1 Misdemeanor.
2) Penalties for Passengers:
Failure to report an accident resulting in injury or death is a Class 6 Felony, which holds a punishment of jail up to 5 years, a fine up to $2,500, and driver’s license suspension up to 6 months.
Failure to report an accident involving an attended vehicle resulting in damage of any value is a Class 1 Misdemeanor, which holds a punishment of jail up to 12 months and a fine up to $2,500. If the damage is greater than $500, the passenger’s driver’s license can be suspended for up to 6 months.
Failure to report an accident involving an unattended vehicle resulting in damage of $250 or more is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which holds up to a punishment of jail up to 12 months and a fine up to $2,500. If the damage is greater than $500, the passenger’s driver’s license can be suspended for up to 6 months. If the damage is less than $250, failure to report the accident is a Class 4 Misdemeanor, which holds a fine up to $250.
Criminal LawTagged felony, hit and run, misdemeanor, Va. Code § 46.2-894
When Your Business Receives a Subpoena Duces Tecum
Pitfalls to Avoid when Advertising for your Virginia Business