California Vehicle Code 20001(a) VC Felony Hit & Run

What are the factors for 20001(a) VC Felony Hit &Run

A California hit and run takes place if you leave the scene of an accident without first identifying yourself to the other people involved.

If no one else was hurt and only property was damaged in the accident, you would be charged with California misdemeanor hit and run. If, however, a person (other than yourself) was injured or killed, the charge can rise to a felony hit and run.

You might think that California law would make hit and run a crime only in cases where the person being charged was at fault or caused the accident. In fact, though, you can be charged with felony hit & run even if the other driver was entirely at fault in the accident, or no one was really to blame for it.

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Legal Consequences:

Even though it’s called “felony” hit and run, the crime of Vehicle Code 20001 VC hit and run is actually a wobbler.  This means that the prosecutor may choose to try it as a misdemeanor or a felony, usually depending on the facts of the case and the defendant’s criminal history.

If felony hit and run is tried as a misdemeanor, the maximum penalties are a fine of between one thousand dollars ($1,000) and ten thousand dollars ($10,000), and/or up to one (1) year in county jail. If the accident resulted in a death or a permanent, serious injury, in most cases the defendant will need to serve at least ninety (90) days in jail.

But if it is prosecuted as a felony, felony hit and run carries penalties of a fine of between one thousand dollars ($1,000) and ten thousand dollars ($10,000)…plus sixteen (16) months to three (3) years in state prison. If someone (other than the defendant) was killed or suffered a permanent, serious injury in the accident, the state prison sentence rises to two (2) to four (4) years.

How can we defend you against charges of California VehicleCode 20001(a) VC Felony Hit &Run?

Felony hit and run is a serious charge…and one that is often faced by people with no prior experience in the criminal justice system. Fortunately, there are several legal defenses that may help you beat or reduce these charges. These include:

  • You weren’t the one driving your car in the accident,
  • You didn’t know that an accident had occurred…or that anyone else had been injured,
  • You didn’t “willfully” flee the scene or fail to identify yourself after the accident, and
  • You were the only one injured in the accident.

 

 

Contact us:

We have been successfully defending clients facing all types of criminal charges in Sonoma and Marin Counties, since 1992.

The 100 Trial Lawyers Association has recognized us as one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the country!

Please call our office today at (707) 571-8600 in our centrally located Santa Rosa office in Sonoma County or call our office in San Rafael in Marin County at (415) 492-4507 to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.

Don’t bargain with your freedom! The right attorney makes all the difference between your freedom and incarceration!

Please CLICK HERE to visit our dedicated page on hit and run charges for more info.