Our cars are among our most cherished and certainly our most important physical possessions so when they get hurt, we get hurt.

If you have been the victim of a hit and run you most certainly called the police and filed a report. You were given a number to call if you had additional information and told you would be contacted –IF—they discovered anything.

 

The hard reality is this. In our current socio-political climate, the Police Departments are greatly understaffed and a minor fender bender isn’t likely to rank high in their priorities.

I may be able to help.

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Call me with the information you have and we will discuss your incident and determine if we can identify the vehicle and driver involved. In doing so we can provide this information not only to the police, but your insurance company and, if you have one, your attorney.

 

REMEMBER: Don’t let them get away with it!

 

 

Missouri Statute 577.060 defines a hit and run as follows:

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577.060.  Leaving the scene of an accident — penalties. — 1.  A person commits the offense of leaving the scene of an accident when:

  (1)  Being the operator of a vehicle or a vessel involved in an accident resulting in injury or death or damage to property of another person; and

  (2)  Having knowledge of such accident he or she leaves the place of the injury, damage or accident without stopping and giving the following information to the other party or to a law enforcement officer, or if no law enforcement officer is in the vicinity, then to the nearest law enforcement agency:

  (a)  His or her name;

  (b)  His or her residence, including city and street number;

  (c)  The registration or license number for his or her vehicle or vessel; and

  (d)  His or her operator's license number, if any.

  2.  For the purposes of this section, all law enforcement officers shall have jurisdiction, when invited by an injured person, to enter the premises of any privately owned property for the purpose of investigating an accident and performing all necessary duties regarding such accident.

  3.  The offense of leaving the scene of an accident is:

  (1)  A class A misdemeanor;

  (2)  A class E felony if:

  (a)  Physical injury was caused to another party; or

  (b)  Damage in excess of one thousand dollars was caused to the property of another person; or

  (c)  The defendant has previously been found guilty of any offense in violation of this section; or committed in another jurisdiction which, if committed in this state, would be a violation of an offense of this section; or

  (3)  A class D felony if a death has occurred as a result of the accident.

  4.  A law enforcement officer who investigates or receives information of an accident involving an all-terrain vehicle and also involving the loss of life or serious physical injury shall make a written report of the investigation or information received and such additional facts relating to the accident as may come to his or her knowledge, mail the information to the department of public safety, and keep a record thereof in his or her office.

  5.  The provisions of this section shall not apply to the operation of all-terrain vehicles when property damage is sustained in sanctioned all-terrain vehicle races, derbies and rallies.