Atlanta Police Believe Third Vehicle Involved in Fatal Crash

Atlanta Municipal Court

Atlanta, Ga. – Officers with the Atlanta Police Department recently released information concerning a fatal wreck that happened earlier this month.

On November 4^th, a multi-vehicle crash resulted in the death of a motorcyclist. The collisions occurred off of the Downtown Connector near the North Avenue exit. Two of the drivers were also seriously injured and were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital.

Officers now believe that another vehicle was involved that fled the scene of the accident. The investigation is currently ongoing.

As an Atlanta DUI Lawyer, I will outline the law behind the offense of leaving the scene of an accident. This charge is often seen in conjunction with charges of DUI in Atlanta. For more on the law, read below.

Leaving the Scene of an Accident

A driver is charged with leaving the scene of an accident when he or she is accused of not fulfilling the following legal responsibilities.

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.

All of these responsibilities are outlined in O.C.G.A. §40-6-270.

If it is determined that the accident is the proximate cause of death or a serious injury, any person knowingly failing to stop and comply with the requirements will be found guilty of a felony. The penalty for a conviction of leaving the scene of an accident include up to five years in prison.

Practice Note

Call our offices now if you have been arrested within the City of Atlanta. We can help you now.