Georgia Citizens Report Man Accused of Leaving the Scene of an Accident

Reports of an accident in Forsyth County resulted in a citizen's arrest of a man accused of leaving the scene. According to police, the crash happened earlier today on Martin Road near GA 400. The driver who allegedly caused the crash, fled the scene on foot.

In the early afternoon, the man was arrested after citizens called the sheriff's office. As of right now, he remains anonymous along with the charges against him.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline the law behind the offense of leaving the scene of an accident in our state as there are responsibilities that must be met by every driver involved in an accident.

Leaving the Scene of an Accident in Georgia

Leaving the Scene of an Accident in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. §40-6-270 as a list of responsibilities one must complete if in an accident.

The statute is as follows:

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.

Practice Note

Most cases involving leaving the scene of an accident start out as a violation of the statute above where someone has been accused of not abiding by the responsibilities above. This is the most serious version of the charge - the penalties can cause a 6 month license suspension. 

However, this is where a Georgia DUI Attorney comes in. The reality is that the facts of your case may be more like the other, less serious version of the law.

If you or a loved one has been arrested or received a serious traffic violation, such as a DUI in Georgia, contact us today. Your defense starts here.