What Are The Penalties for DUI Hit And Run Charges?

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is a serious crime. So is a hit and run. If you leave the scene of an accident to avoid a DUI charge, you will likely be charged with at least two crimes: one for the hit and run and another for the DUI.

If you were charged with a hit and run DUI in Connecticut, you will face serious penalties. But you have the right to defend yourself, and The Lebedevitch Law Firm, LLC can help.

Connecticut criminal defense attorney Stephen Lebedevitch has extensive experience defending people who have been accused of crimes. He will thoroughly investigate the case against you and provide an aggressive legal defense.

Evading Responsibility or “Hit and Run”

A “hit and run” occurs when a person is involved in a car crash and leaves the scene. Connecticut police and prosecutors take hit and run charges seriously and prosecute them aggressively.

In Connecticut, hit and run incidents are prosecuted as “evading responsibility.” The charge is serious and can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the severity of the property damage and any personal injuries caused by the crash.

Penalties for a hit and run conviction can include punishments of 1 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The punishments are less severe if the accident causes minor injuries, but you will still be subject to steep fines and other penalties.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is another serious crime. Penalties for a first offense include up to six months in jail, a fine of $500 to $1,000, and probation. You also face suspension of your driver’s license and required installation of an Ignition Interlock Device (IID).

Minimize the Impact of a DUI Hit and Run Charge

If you left the scene of an accident, you can take steps to minimize the likelihood of an arrest and defend yourself by not offering the police evidence they will use to convict you.

Contact an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney

After a hit and run, the victim usually provides police officers with a description of the other vehicle, the driver, and a license plate number. The police will then call you at home or work or show up at your door. In most cases, the police cannot arrest you immediately because they do not have an arrest warrant or probable cause. Before speaking to the police, you can politely inform them that your lawyer will contact them that day to see if they can resolve the case without an arrest.

Avoid In-Person Interactions with Police

Unfortunately, in most cases of evading responsibility, Connecticut police officers assume the driver was under the influence. If you left the scene of an accident and were drinking or under the influence of drugs, do not let the police officer into your home or even get physically near you. If the police do have in-person contact with you after a car accident where you left the scene, they may write in their report that you had been drinking.

Instead, politely refuse to answer any questions and tell them to contact your attorney.

Aggressive Defense Against a DUI Hit and Run Charge

After a hit and run, Connecticut police will try to identify you and arrest you. They will interview potential witnesses, look for video cameras that identify you as the driver, and check local body shops to see if your car matches the description and damage to the other vehicle.

But even if you were charged with a DUI hit and run, you can still defend yourself and avoid a conviction. You have the Constitutional right to a legal defense, and Connecticut criminal defense attorney Stephen Lebedevitch can help.

Stephen will thoroughly investigate the charges against you and fight to help you avoid the fines, penalties, and possible jail time that can come with a hit and run DUI conviction. Depending on the circumstances of your case, he will try to have the case dismissed, negotiate a plea to a lesser offense, and work to reduce the severity of the penalties.

Because every situation is unique, Stephen’s defense strategy will depend on the circumstances of your case.

In cases involving a minor accident, you might not have known an accident occurred or that it caused injury or damage. In other situations, you might have left the scene to get help, been falsely accused, or mistakenly identified.

You might have other defenses available if the police failed to follow the proper procedures or violated your rights.

And, as with any criminal case, the prosecutor must prove every element of each charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Contact The Lebedevitch Law Firm

The Lebedevitch Law Firm proudly represents people who have been charged with serious crimes in Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Darien, Rowayton, Fairfield, Trumbull, Westport, Wilton, Weston, Danbury, New Haven, Bethany, Woodbridge, Milford, Stratford, Bridgeport, and throughout the State of Connecticut.

To learn more about criminal defense attorney Stephen Lebedevitch, read reviews from other people he has helped and why people choose Stephen. Then contact The Lebedevitch Law Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your situation.