Felony hit and run charges for Virginia driver

Parts of a car left at the scene of an accident proved to be instrumental in tracking-down the vehicle’s driver, whom Virginia police say fled the scene of a deadly crash on January 29. Along with help from the Wilson Fire Department, Virginia State Police investigated a traumatic incident that left a 47-year-old man dead and another man on the run.

While fatal car accidents typically involve a car striking another car or truck, or a drunk driver wreaking havoc on the road, some crashes feature a different type of motorized vehicle, but with the same result: death. Such was the case in late January in Lyndhurst, when police say a car struck a moped on Mount Torrey Road near the Shenandoah Valley Animal Shelter. Initially, the car continued on its way, its driver failing to stop and check on the condition of the moped’s operator. Unfortunately, the driver of the moped died as a result of the collision, which occurred around 8 p.m. on a Tuesday night.

Following the accident, a witness was unable to render a specific description of the car or its driver. However, authorities located pieces of the car left at the site, and later found the man who they have since charged with a felony hit and run.

By means of a thorough investigation, Virginia officials can determine if an accident was truly out of a driver’s control, or if it contained the dangerous element of a negligent driver. When a driver flees the scene, though, that apparent lack of concern can point strongly towards negligence. In these instances, a victim’s surviving family members often have ample legal recourse when it comes to securing justice for their loved one, because both media reports and police reports will note the other driver’s attempt to evade the law.

Source: NBC 29, “Fatal crash in Lyndhurst involving moped a hit and run.” Jan. 29, 2013