If you are in an accident in Arizona you a legal responsibility to stop. Failure to stop, is also known as leaving the scene of an accident, and hit and run. Hit & Run can be a serious charge, particularly if there were injuries in the accident. If you are facing failure to stop charges in Arizona, contact our law office for a free consultation on your case. We can work to help you avoid the most serious criminal penalties. We will work to get misdeameanor criminal charges reduced to non-criminal offenses, to keep you from having a criminal record, as well as the risk of driver’s license suspension, and more serious penalites.
Duty to Give Information and Assistance ARS 28-663
In Arizona, once you are involved in an accident, there are certain duties you must perform. You must:
- Giver the other driver your name, address, and registration information
- Upon request by the other driver, show your drivers license
- Give necessary assistance to the other driver including first aid, getting help for injuries, etc.
If you fail to give information or assistance, you may be found in violation o f this statute and charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor which is punishable by up to 30 days in jail and fines up to $500.
Accidents Involving Damage to a Vehicle ARS 28-662
If you were involved in an accident where damage was done to a vehicle you have a duty to stop. This means that once the accident has occurred you much stop your car as soon as possible. If you are unable to immediately stop, you are to return to the scene right away.
For instance: If you are in heavy traffic and cannot stop, you may have to exit and return to the location. This must be done as quickly as safely possible to fulfill your obligation to stop.
Once stopped, you must fulfill the same requirements as above (proving assistance and information to the other driver).
Failure to stop in this type of situation is a class 3 misdemeanor and punishable by 30 days in jail and up to $500 in fines.
A conviction under this law will cause your license to be revoked for one year.
Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injury ARS 28-661
You have the same duty to stop in these types of accidents: you must stop immediately or as soon as safely possible and return to the scene of the accident.
The potential sentence for this charge depends on the severity of the injuries involved.
If the injuries are:
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Then the potential sentence is:
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**If the accident causes death or serious injury and you caused the accident, you could be sentenced to up to 3 ½ years in prison. (Class 3 felony) **
A conviction under this law can lead to having your driving privileges revoked for 3-5 years.
The potential of serving prison time can be very sobering. In choosing an attorney you want to be comfortable that you selected a firm with the experience and expertise to get you the best results. Call us to talk about your case today.