Newnan Man Accused of Stealing Car and Committing Two Hit and Runs

Coweta County Courthouse

Newnan, Ga. - The Coweta County Sheriff's Office have reported a very interesting arrest from last week.

According to authorities, a local man has been accused of stealing his ex-wife's car. He allegedly caused two different collisions. The first wreck was at Bullsboro Drive while the second wreck occurred on the same road but two lights away. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, however, the man fled the scene of both accidents in succession.

Officers found the reported vehicle with serious amounts of damage on it outside of the man's house off of Lake Shore Drive. They put him under arrest on several different serious traffic violations.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline the law around the most serious traffic violation that he is being accused of - leaving the scene of an accident.

Leaving the Scene of an Accident in Georgia

Leaving the Scene of an Accident in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270. By law, it is referred to as the duty of the driver to stop at or return to the scene of an accident. The statute outlines the different duties or responsibilities that a person must complete when in an accident or collision in the state of Georgia.

These responsibilities include:

(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 law states that the driver must remain at the scene of the accident until fulfilling the requirements listed above. Furthermore, it states that the stop must be made without obstructing traffic.

Practice Note

The consequences of a conviction for leaving the scene of an accident are very serious. If you or a loved one has been accused of leaving the scene of an accident or any other serious traffic offense, call our offices now.