Opinion ID: 1803793
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Give His Identity

Text: LSA-R.S. 14:100(B)(1) provides: (1) To give his identity means that the driver of any vehicle involved in any accident shall give his name, address, and the license number of his vehicle, or shall report the accident to the police. Emphasis added. It is undisputed that defendant called to report the accident to the police. It is equally clear that defendant did not give his name, address, or the license number of his vehicle to the dispatcher. Defendant contends that because the statute does not explain what is meant by report the accident, his only duty under the statute was to notify the proper authorities about the accident. The State contends that this particular element of the statute was correctly interpreted by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal in State v. Agee, 534 So.2d 483 (La.App. 5 Cir.1988), writ denied, 540 So.2d 326 (La.1989). In Agee, the defendant caused a collision by swerving into the lane of another vehicle. The defendant approached the other vehicle and told the injured driver that he would contact the police. The defendant left the scene of the accident in a vehicle driven by a passing motorist without identifying himself. Shortly thereafter, the defendant stated that he reported the accident to a 911 operator but did not identify himself to the operator. The defendant did not return to the scene of the accident while the scene was being investigated. According to the defendant, he returned to the scene, but everyone and the vehicles were gone. He further testified that he went to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in Gretna and was told to go to the Third District in Bridge City. When he arrived in Bridge City, he was informed that there was no record of the accident and was advised to return the following Monday. The defendant was ultimately convicted of hit-and-run driving, in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:100 and was sentenced to 90 days in parish prison. The court of appeal affirmed the conviction and sentence, stating: The courts should construe a statute so as to accomplish the purpose for which it was enacted and to give effect to the legislative will. State in the Interest of Bruno, 388 So.2d 784 (La.1980). The most effectual way of discovering the true meaning of a law is by considering the reason and spirit of it, or the cause which induced the legislature to enact it. LSA-C.C. arts. 16, 18; Keelen v. State, Dept. of Culture, Recreation, 463 So.2d 1287 (La.1985), concurring opinion 482 So.2d 618 (La.1986). An interpretation of the language report the accident to the police to mean simply notifying the police without giving one's identity, as suggested by the defendant, would allow an individual involved in an accident to leave the scene without providing any information about himself. Such would allow an individual to choose to discuss the accident and file a police report when it was convenient to him, thereby giving him the opportunity to allow evidence to escape the authorities. We find that this is not the intent of the legislation. We find the language of the statute mandates that the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident provide his identity when reporting an accident to the police. Agee, 534 So.2d at 485-86. We agree. LSA-R.S. 14:3 provides: The articles of this Code cannot be extended by analogy so as to create crimes not provided for herein; however, in order to promote justice and to effect the objects of the law, all of its provisions shall be given a genuine construction, according to the fair import of their words, taken in their usual sense, in connection with the context, and with reference to the purpose of the provision. The language of LSA-R.S. 14:100(B)(1) indicates that a person who causes an accident may either give his name, address, and vehicle license number or report the accident to the police. Applying the language as suggested by defendant would allow a person involved in or causing an accident to avoid apprehension by anonymously reporting the accident to the proper authorities. Although LSA-R.S. 14:100 does not specifically require identification by the driver reporting the accident to the police, a genuine construction of the statute, in connection with the context, and with reference to the purpose of the provision requires that the driver identify himself when reporting an accident caused by him or involving him. In this case, the defendant did nothing to make his identity known. The only reason that defendant was ever apprehended was that the accident occurred in a rural community, where the law enforcement officials were familiar with the area and its residents. The description received by law enforcement officials was that of a black vehicle with twin stacked antennas on the rear window. Trooper Howard testified that he knew that the vehicle was defendant's vehicle because he had worked in LaSalle Parish for more than ten years, and he was familiar with the local people and their vehicles. Had the accident occurred in larger, more well-traveled area of the state or had the trooper been less familiar with the residents of the parish and their vehicles, defendant may not have ever been apprehended. It would be absurd to conclude that a person who causes a fatal accident may escape criminal culpability by anonymously reporting the accident. Moreover, it would be unduly cumbersome to require law enforcement officials to sift through thousands of records of the Department of Motor Vehicles, searching for a vehicle fitting a certain description, in an effort to locate vehicles involved in or causing accidents. Citizens who are involved in even minor fender benders know that they are required by law to stop and exchange identifying information, as well as insurance information. Drivers who cause fatal collisions would not have a lesser responsibility. For these reasons, we conclude that the lower courts and the court in Agee correctly interpreted LSA-R.S. 14:100. We hold that defendant violated the statute by failing to give his identity.