The lawyers at Ashbach Law Offices, LLC provide aggressive, strong defense for those charged with Hit and Run throughout Skagit, Snohomish, King and Whatcom Counties. Our goal is to aggressively protect you, your family and your interests from the prosecution, saving jail time, licenses, occupations and reputations. With offices in Marysville and Mill Creek, Washington, we are available to meet you discuss your case. We help good people in bad situations. Let us help you.
In General
Washington Statutes require a driver of a motor vehicle to take certain steps when involved in a collision or accident, whether or not the collision occurred with property, a motor vehicle (occupied or unoccupied) or a person. Failure to comply with these requirements subjects a driver to criminal charges for Hit and Run. Hit and Run charges are split up into degrees of severity, depending on what the vehicle collided with (or was hit by) and what damage or injuries occurred. Typically, fault of the driver is not an issue.
Hit and Run Unattended
RCW 46.52.010 governs situations where a driver strikes an unattended vehicle or property where no person was hurt. A violation of this statute is usually called a “Hit and Run Unattended” crime. The first section of the statute requires that the operator of a vehicle that hits another, unattended vehicle must 1) immediately stop, and 2) either a) provide the other vehicle owner with the driver’s name and address, or b) place a note containing that information in a conspicuous place on the vehicle (like a note on the windshield).
The second section of RCW 46.52.010 covers the scenario where a driver strikes property (other than a vehicle) and no one is hurt. The driver must then take reasonable steps to notify the owner (or person in charge) of the damaged property of the driver’s name and address, or the driver must leave that information in a written note on a conspicuous (easy to see) place on the damaged property.
Failure to comply with statutory requirements is a simple misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1000 fine.
Sample Result – Hit and Run Unattended – Case Dismissed
Serious allegations require serious defense. Call Ashbach Law Offices, LLC, at 360-659-4950 or 888-WA-LAW-NW today for a free, personalized case evaluation. We give each case the individual attention and concern it deserves.
Hit and Run Attended
The penalties for violating RCW 46.52.020 (Hit and Run Attended) are more severe than RCW 46.52.010. The maximum penalty for violating this statute is 364 days in jail and/or a $5000 fine – a gross misdemeanor. In addition, a person convicted of Hit and Run Attended will have his or her license revoked for at least a year.
RCW 46.52.020 requires a driver that knows he or she has been involved in an accident with a vehicle that is occupied (thus, attended), to provide his or her name, address, insurance company, insurance policy number and vehicle license number (and display his or her driver’s license) to the other driver. The driver must also provide reasonable assistance for the injured person, which may include transport to a hospital.
If no injury is caused (only vehicles are damaged), the drivers are required to move the damaged vehicle(s) to a suitable location (usually off the road) as soon as possible. Moving the vehicle will not affect fault for the accident.
This statue also criminalizes striking a previously deceased body with a vehicle, which is similarly a gross misdemeanor.
Sample Result – Hit and Run Unattended – Case Dismissed
We provide aggressive, thorough defense on all our cases. Call us at 360-659-4950 or 888-WA-LAW-NW for a free, individualized case assessment. It is never too early to start preparing a strong defense.
Felony Hit and Run
Failure to comply with statutory duties in the event of an accident causing death is punishable as a Class B Felony.
Failure to comply with statutory duties in the event of an accident causing injury is punishable as a Class C Felony.
When the Statute Does Not Apply
The Hit and Run law states that the penalties “shall not apply to any person injured or incapacitated by such accident to the extent of being physically incapable of complying with this section.”
RCW 46.52.010 Duty on striking unattended car or other property — Penalty.
- (1) The operator of any vehicle which collided with any other vehicle which is unattended shall immediately stop and shall then and there either locate and notify the operator or owner of such vehicle of the name and address of the operator and owner of the vehicle striking the unattended vehicle or shall leave in a conspicuous place in the vehicle struck a written notice, giving the name and address of the operator and of the owner of the vehicle striking such other vehicle.
- (2) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to property fixed or placed upon or adjacent to any public highway shall take reasonable steps to locate and notify the owner or person in charge of such property of such fact and of the name and address of the operator and owner of the vehicle striking such property, or shall leave in a conspicuous place upon the property struck a written notice, giving the name and address of the operator and of the owner of the vehicle so striking the property, and such person shall further make report of such accident as in the case of other accidents upon the public highways of this state.
- (3) Any person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Ashbach Law Offices, LLC, aggressively represents clients charged with Hit and Run Attended and Hit and Run Unattended offenses throughout the Washington I-5 corridor, covering Skagit, Snohomish, King and Whatcom Counties. Regular courts of practice include, but are not limited to, Anacortes, Arlington, Bellevue, Bellingham, Blaine, Burlington, Edmonds, Everett, Issaquah, Lynnwood, Marysville, Monroe, Mount Vernon, Mountlake Terrance, Redmond, Seattle, Sedro Woolley and Shoreline.