Hit and Run Victim Found Still Alive on the Side of Georgia Roadway

Two women were in the right place at the right time this past Saturday night. They were driving in Carroll County when they spotted the body of a man on the side of the road.

They stopped to investigate and found the man was still alive and screaming for help after being the victim of a hit and run. He was rushed to the hospital. According to reports, he suffered several injuries including a lacerated spleen.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I specialize in all types of traffic violations - from speeding in Georgia to DUI in Georgia to Leaving the Scene of an Accident in Georgia. In today's post, I will outline the legal requirements that must be met if someone is involved in an accident in the state of Georgia. If the driver is located, he or she is facing serious charges including hit and run.

Hit and Run in Georgia

Hit and Run in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. §40-6-270 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.

So as the result of the circumstances of the story above, if the driver of the vehicle is found to have had the intent to leave the scene of the accident, and since, the result was the serious injury of Cronan, then the individual will be facing some very serious consequences.

Practice Note

One of Georgia's most serious criminal offenses is hit and run - especially dependent upon the circumstances of the offense. Hit and Run is a crime of specific intent.  You have a decide to leave the scene of an accident.  As a result, hit and run - leaving the scene of an accident is more serious than DUI in Georgia.

If you or a loved one has been accused of a serious traffic offense, please contact our offices today. A Georgia DUI Attorney can help you now.