Carjacking in Buckhead Leads to Police Chase and Crash

According to reports, Atlanta Police arrested a driver after he reportedly stole a car from a building block on Defoors Ferry and then crashed that vehicle into a pole on Moores Mill after a brief police chase. Moreover, a passenger allegedly jumped out of the vehicle after the crash, and officers have yet to detain him.

Not only will the driver and the passenger most likely be charged with numerous criminal offenses but this list will most likely include fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in Georgia. However, the driver will also face a less mentioned offense, striking a fixed object. Even though this offense is not heard of in news coverage - it is commonly associated with DUI offenses in Georgia, and as a Georgia DUI Attorney, I will focus on that offense in today's post so as to provide more clarity as to the law.

Striking a Fixed Object in Georgia

Striking a fixed object in Georgia is also known legally as violating the duty upon striking a fixture. This is, as I mentioned above, another common traffic violation that pairs with DUI in Georgia.

The law is as follows in O.C.G.A. §40-6-272:

The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to a fixture legally upon or adjacent to a highway shall take reasonable steps to locate and notify the owner or person in charge of such property of such fact and of his name and address and of the registration number of the vehicle he is driving and shall, upon request and if available, exhibit his operator's license.

Violating the above-mentioned statute is considered a misdemeanor in Georgia. This means that the penalty can include a fine up to $1,000 and 12 months in jail.

Practice Note

Most of the time, if a person has been arrested for DUI in Georgia, there is also a related traffic offense along with it. Our lawyers exclusively practice DUI Defense in Georgia. This means that we are experts regarding all traffic violations and other offenses related to DUI.

If you or a loved one has been arrested, contact a Georgia DUI Lawyer today.