Fatal Hit and Run Leaves Georgia Authorities on the Search

A fatal accident in Rockdale County is under heavy investigation as it left one woman dead and another woman seriously injured.

According to reports, the two women were pedestrians walking near the intersection of West and Cannon Street in Covington. They were both hit by a vehicle between 9:30 and 10:00 pm on Monday night.

Authorities are asking for anyone with information to come forward.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline one of the offenses that the suspected driver will be facing: hit and run in the state of Georgia.

Hit and Run in Georgia

Hit and Run in Georgia occurs when a driver is involved in an accident and does not abide by his or her lawful duties. These duties are laid in the Georgia Code as:

(a) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or the death of any person or in damage to a vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of the accident or shall stop as close thereto as possible and forthwith return to the scene of the accident and shall:

(1) Give his or her name and address and the registration number of the vehicle he or she is driving;

(2) Upon request and if it is available, exhibit his or her operator's license to the person struck or the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle collided with;

(3) Render to any person injured in such accident reasonable assistance, including the transporting, or the making of arrangements for the transporting, of such person to a physician, surgeon, or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that such treatment is necessary or if such transporting is requested by the injured person; and

(4) Where a person injured in such accident is unconscious, appears deceased, or is otherwise unable to communicate, make every reasonable effort to ensure that emergency medical services and local law enforcement are contacted for the purpose of reporting the accident and making a request for assistance.

The driver shall in every event remain at the scene of the accident until fulfilling the requirements of this subsection. Every such stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.

(b) If such accident is the proximate cause of death or a serious injury, any person knowingly failing to stop and comply with the requirements of subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.

Practice Note

On top of hit and run charges, this driver (if the above facts are reported as true) is also facing charges of:

• Serious injury by vehicle in Georgia
• Vehicular homicide in Georgia

These charges should not be taken lightly. It is also worth mentioning that just because a person has been accused of committing an offense does not mean that he or she is guilty of that offense. There are multiple sides to every story.

If you or a loved one has been accused of a serious traffic violation, contact our offices today.