Anaheim, Orange County - A man is wanted in connection with a felony hit and run in Anaheim that sent one woman to the hospital Monday morning.
The suspect was driving a Chevrolet Cavalier when he turned left into the path of a Honda Civic, which was traveling south on Euclid Street, and pushed the Civic off the street, according to Anaheim Police.
The driver off the Chevrolet reportedly exited his car, fled the scene on foot and is still at large, according to police.
The main difference between felony hit-and-run and misdemeanor hit-and-run, explains Fullerton criminal attorney Michael L. Guisti, is felony hit-and-run is when you leave the scene of an auto accident after injuring somebody, and misdemeanor hit-and-run is when you leave the scene after damaging somebody's car or property.
If you or somebody you know are facing possible felony hit-and-run charges the prosecutor must prove three things, that you were "involved" with the accident, you had "knowledge" about the accident and either knew, or reasonably should have known, about the injury and/or death that resulted from the accident, and you "willfully" failed to perform at least one of your required duties, explains Guisti.
A couple common defense tactics, explains Guisti, for those involved in felony hit-and-run is simply you weren't the driver of the car, even if it was your car. The district attorney and prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt you, the suspect, were the one behind the wheel at the time of the hit-and-run, according to Guisti.
Another defense tactic, and what could possibly have been the case in Anaheim, is the suspect may have left the scene for fear of his own safety. Guisti explains in many injury accidents, especially in close-kit neighborhoods, sometimes a group forms threatening to harm or injure the person, and at which point the hit-and-run suspect leaves for his own safely.
Other times if an injury accident occurs on a freeway the driver may not have any safe place to pullover and has to find a safe place off the freeway, explains Guisti.
Depending on the injuries the person suffered this charge could actually get knocked down to a misdemeanor.
If convicted of causing injury to another and leaving the scene you could face up to $3,000 in fines, possibly up to three years in prison and two points on your driving record.
If the hit-and-run resulted in serious injury or death you could face up to four years in state prison.
Felony hit-and-run is a very serious charge that could send you to prison, cost you a lot of money and raise your insurance, which is why you need to call the Orange County hit-and-run attorney experts at the Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti right now at 888-478-8999.
As Mr. Guisti explained there could be legitimate reasons why you left the scene of an accident.
Whatever the case may be contact us right now, because our goal is to win your case for you, and we settle for nothing less.
