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seekingadvice1 · May 22, 2008, 05:27 PM

Last Sunday I left a party and decided to stop by a McDonalds to get a bite to eat. I bumped a cab as I was in the drive through. Because I had been drinking, I wasn't thinking clearly. I waited with the driver of the cab in the parking lot for the police to arrive. But after about 20 minutes, I became impatient and left the scene. For some reason, I remember leaving one of my cards with the other driver. Maybe it was imaginary and thought I would get a call and we could settle the matter. Today I received a post card from the Police indicating they are conducting an investigation. How much trouble am I in? If I contact the cab company and agree to report this incident to my insurance company, will that take care of this? Nobody was hurt and there was minimum damage done to both cars.

Fr_Chuck · May 22, 2008, 05:39 PM

Serious, serious trouble.. You can not merely do the right thing now. You will of course have to turn it over to your insurance company and let them pay. The trouble is that leaving the scene of the accident is a criminal issue, you can most likely get your license suspended over this.
You need to get an attorney to be with you at the investigation.

twinkiedooter · May 23, 2008, 07:40 AM

Once the police have been called you should have waited for them to show up. Now you are in more trouble because you fled the scene even though you gave them a business card. Things should have been handled before the police were called. It's too late now. Please consult with an attorney on your next step (especially since you were drinking as the police probably know this fact already).

sandyspacecase · Sep 15, 2008, 04:19 PM

You know,I wouldn't be too worried. You were on private property and not a city street. Even though the police were contacted,there isn't much they can do because of this. They don't have jurisdiction when a accident happens in a parking lot,or a drive through. It is usually up to both party's to get it resolved. You did the right thing if you left your name with the cab. That is all you really need to do ,is exchange information . Maybe the cab told the police otherwise. And as for the fact that you had been drinking, it now could never be proved. Who's going to do something legally about something somebody else told them about? It can not be proved,it is just hear say so to speak. You took no tests ,no breathalizer nor did you have blood taken. It can not be proved and couldn't hold up in a court case. You were on a public private business property. You gave him the information if he needs to get hold of you. No tests were administered. Nothing can be done legally unless the cab company wants to take you to court and pay for it out of their own pockets,which is doubtful. Don't worry,and don't drive if you have even had one drink. Let this be a lesson learned for the better.

Fr_Chuck · Sep 15, 2008, 06:13 PM

Not sure sandy has any idea, since as a police officer in GA, hit and run in a parking lot gets you locked up. Police have full authority to investigate accidents on private property, but not some traffic rules ( speeding, and the such) Also some parking areas have agreements with the city for enforcement about other rules also.

But at least in GA the private property issue is no protectoin on hit and run. For example reckless driving can be written on private property, since you can't write speeding

JudyKayTee · Sep 15, 2008, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by sandyspacecase

You know,I wouldn't be too worried. You were on private property and not a city street. Even though the police were contacted,there isn't much they can do because of this. They don't have jurisdiction when a accident happens in a parking lot,or a drive through. It is usually up to both party's to get it resolved. You did the right thing if you left your name with the cab. That is all you really need to do ,is exchange information . Maybe the cab told the police otherwise. And as for the fact that you had been drinking, it now could never be proved. Who's going to do something legally about something somebody else told them about? It can not be proved,it is just hear say so to speak. You took no tests ,no breathalizer nor did you have blood taken. It can not be proved and couldn't hold up in a court case. You were on a public private business property. You gave him the information if he needs to get hold of you. No tests were administered. Nothing can be done legally unless the cab company wants to take you to court and pay for it out of their own pockets,which is doubtful. Don't worry,and don't drive if you have even had one drink. Let this be a lesson learned for the better.

Some of this "advice" is absolutely legally incorrect. Why do you think the Police have no ability to do anything? Because this is private property or a business property? Absolutely not true. I'm an accident investigator. Police investigate accidents on private property all the time. For that matter, so do I. This isn't serious enough (or so it appears) but on more than one occasion I've tracked backwards to see where a person had been prior to the accident. You are also assuming there are no witnesses, including employees. I'm not sure you're right about that.

If a person would believe your theory you could run around shooting people on business property and absolutely nothing could be done.

Giving his name and then leaving the scene is absolutely NOT the right thing to do - it's called leaving the scene of an accident. You don't "maybe remember" you handed over your card and then take off - again, OP left the scene of an accident. In some States he could lose his license for that alone.

I agree - there is no STATED proof OP was drinking.

The cab company won't take OP to Court - this is an civil matter (for the damages), between insurance companies, and a criminal matter (for leaving the scene of an accident).