Toddler Hit Outside Local Macon Residence

Bibb County Courthouse

Macon, Ga. - Bibb County authorities are investigating a serious accident involving a fifteen-year-old driver and a toddler.

According to reports, a teenager jumped into a car and put it in reverse coming down a driveway in a local neighborhood. There was a young child standing behind the vehicle. The toddler was hit by the vehicle. He is now in critical condition at a local hospital.

As a Bibb County DUI Lawyer, it is important for me to note that no charges have been filed as of yet. However, I will outline an offense that could possibly fit the incident depending on the driving of the teenager - serious injury by vehicle.

Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia

Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. §40-6-394 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 Code Section 40-6-390 or 40-6-391 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.

This law does not define what constitutes a serious injury, so in these situations, we have to look to other sources within the Georgia Code. Other Georgia laws define it as a “fractured bone, severe burns, disfigurement, dismemberment, partial or total loss of sight or hearing, or loss of consciousness.”  To be considered serious, the injury does not need to be permanent. Instead, a serious, temporary injury is sufficient and only needs to impair or injure a person's appearance. 

In the past, injuries such as loss of vision in one eye, blurry vision, a two-inch scar on the forehead, broken ribs, and severe bruising have qualified as “serious.”  Whether an injury is serious is a question of fact to be determined by the jury.

Serious injury by vehicle is classified as a felony offense. The penalty if convicted of serious injury by vehicle can include high fines and up to fifteen years in prison.

Practice Note

Again - no charges have been filed in this case. However, if you or a loved one has been arrested for a DUI in Georgia or any other related offense, call our offices today.