If you've been involved in a hit and run in Miami-Dade County or Broward County, chances are you will receive a letter in the mail from a police agency.
This letter will advise you that your car was involved in an incident of leaving the scene of an accident. Chances are, somebody reported your plate number to the police and an incident report was filed.
Upon receiving the letter you should contact a criminal defense attorney right away. This is a criminal investigation and you do not want to handle matters by yourself.
An attorney can reach out to the detective assigned to your case and possibly resolve the matter before any criminal charges are filed.
There are non-criminal statutes that hit and run detectives can use to charge you with an infraction (ordinary traffic ticket) instead of charging you with a crime.
Leaving the scene of an accident, or LSA, is a misdemeanor unless a person is seriously injured. Then it becomes a felony. If somebody is killed, the crime is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Upon receipt of the letter, you should contact a criminal defense lawyer right away BEFORE you try to reach out to the detective yourself. Any statement you make, even over the phone, can be used as evidence against you.
Also, do not attempt to make any repairs to your car. Efforts to repair a car after you've left the scene of an accident can only make matters worse. You could even find yourself charged with tampering with evidence.
If you have been involved in a hit and run crash in Miami or Broward, call me to discuss your options.