It happened late Sunday night, July 24, in an area of Jacksonville Beach populated with clubs and restaurants. A couple was crossing First Street near Fourth Avenue North when a car, identified as a PT Cruiser, came out of nowhere and hit them, throwing them off their feet, onto the hood of the car and then the sidewalk. Now Jacksonville Beach police have made an arrest in connection with this hit-and-run pedestrian accident.
News4Jax reports a 27-year-old woman was arrested after turning herself in through her attorney late Tuesday, July 26. According to this report, they do not believe this was an “intentional” act which sounds like she will be treated lightly by the law. The woman was jailed and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury. Meanwhile the female pedestrian was released from the hospital and the man was listed in fair condition Monday.
The woman charged in this case is extremely fortunate there were not greater injuries that resulted from this non-“intentional” act. We wish a speedy recovery to the two pedestrians who were hit. It will be interesting to see how the driver’s lawyer will argue that leaving the scene when there are injuries is anything but intentional since she was the only person in the car and presumably fully capable of making a rational adult decision.
Under Florida law, when a driver is involved in a crash and there is property damage or personal injury involved, he or she is required to remain at the scene to render aid and provide information to law enforcement or first responders. Any willful violation of this statute is a felony in the third degree which can bring the offender up to five years in Florida state prison. If the injury involves death, the offender can land in jail for 15 to 30 years.
Florida has more pedestrian fatalities than any other state according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). At 2.67 per 100,000 population, there is no other state that reported more pedestrian fatalities in 2008.
The Jacksonville Beach pedestrian accident lawyers at the Farah & Farah law firm are dedicated to getting negligent drivers off the road. We have joined the national group Hit-and-Run Reward, which helps provide opportunities for citizens to report hit-and-run drivers. By calling in an anonymous tip, you could receive a financial reward of $1,000 for a hit-and-run driver if they are convicted for the accident. This program is offered in addition to the Crime Stoppers reward program, so you may be rewarded $2,000. Hit-and-Run Reward’s phone number is 1-800-644-8678. Thank you for doing the right thing.
Sources: http://www.news4jax.com/news/28692605/detail.html, http://www.news4jax.com/news/28659851/detail.html, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.027.html and http://www.walkinginfo.org/facts/docs/PedTSF_2008.pdf
