Georgia Man Turns Himself in for Leaving the Scene of an Accident

I wrote recently about a teenager who was involved in a hit and run accident as a pedestrian. The driver allegedly hit the teenager and left the scene without stopping. He was taken to the Atlanta Medical Center with what were described as very serious injuries. The teenager is still recovering.

This morning, according to the Georgia State Patrol, Daryl Ogletree of Griffin turned himself in.

He is facing the following charges:

• Leaving the Scene of an Accident in Georgia
• Driving with a Suspended License in Georgia

However, as a Georgia DUI Attorney, it is worth noting that if the investigation points to any recklessness or intoxication, then the driver could be facing much more serious charges.

Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia

Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code as:

Whoever, without malice, shall cause bodily harm to another by depriving him of a member of his body, by rendering a member of his body useless, by seriously disfiguring his body or a member thereof, or by causing organic brain damage which renders the body or any member thereof useless through the violation of Reckless Driving in Georgia or DUI in Georgia shall be guilty of the crime of serious injury by vehicle. A person convicted under this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than 15 years. O.C.G.A. §40-6-394.

Practice Note

As mentioned in the statute above, if a driver injures another person as a result of DUI, then that individual is facing up to 15 years in prison. This charge as well as most charges associated with DUI in Georgia should be taken very seriously.

It is also possible to be charged with multiple counts of serious injury by vehicle if multiple people were injured in the accident. The sentencing depends on the severity of the victim's injury as well as other factors.

If you or a loved one has been arrested, contact our offices today.