Suspect arrested after fatal car accident

Accident scenes can be traumatic enough, but being left at the scene while others flee can be even more terrifying. Those involved in the wreck may have been seriously injured and require immediate medical attention.

It is the duty of those at the scene, especially those who may have been the cause of the accident, to stay at the scene until help arrives. Having people stay with a victim can be crucial, even if they can do little more than explain to authorities what may have transpired.

In Florida, leaving the scene of an accident is a crime on its own and those who are caught doing so can and should be held accountable for their actions.

A recent incident in St. Augustine may be one of the first cases that will invoke application of a new law recently passed in Florida that will impose tougher mandatory penalties on people charged in hit-and-run accidents in which someone is killed.

The new Florida hit-and-run law is intended to discourage drivers from leaving the scene of fatal motor vehicle accidents. It requires that the defendant serve a mandatory four-year sentence in a case like this one, in which the victim died. In addition, the driver’s license of anyone convicted under the law can also be revoked for three years.

In this particular incident the driver of a truck hit a pedestrian in St. Augustine Beach, but instead of stopping, he drove away from the accident scene. Using a tip from a witness, officers located the truck not far from the fatal accident scene less than a half-an-hour after the crash.

Charges against the suspect are pending while investigators wait for the results of blood tests.

Victims of any accident, or the families of those who are fatally injured, should remember that they have the right to hold a reckless and negligent accountable for the damages suffered as a result of a crash. If you are considering taking legal action due to injuries that you or a loved one sustained in an auto accident arising from the perceived negligence of another, it is advisable to consult with an attorney who can help you to understand the merits of your case and to advise you on how best to proceed.

Source: News 4 Jacksonville, "Suspect found in St. Augustine Beach hit-and-run death," Adrienne Moore, July 9, 2014