A Tampa hit-and-run driver made a very bad decision on November 21, 2009 that will keep him in prison for the next 15 years. The driver said he was searching for a cigarette on the floor of his vehicle when he struck a University of Tampa student and another young woman and then left the scene of the accident. WTSP-Television reports the young man was declared brain dead and taken off life support. On Wednesday, February 9, the man received the sentence to be followed by 15 years probation.
Florida law states that a driver must remain at the scene of a crash to provide aid and information. A failure to do so is a first degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
With nearly 700,000 hit-and-run reports each year in the nation, Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of hit-and-run accidents. In 2009, 482 pedestrians were killed in the state, a slight decline from the previous year.
Farah & Farah’s Florida pedestrian accident attorneys also advise that you have an obligation to move your damaged vehicle if it is blocking traffic, which does not constitute a criminal offense.
Because hit-and-run accidents are such a problem in Florida, Farah & Farah has decided to join Hit-and-Run Reward, a national program financed exclusively by American personal injury attorneys. Report a hit-and-run driver and you will keep a dangerous driver off the road and you can also receive a financial reward of $1,000 for anyone you turn in who is later convicted of the hit-and-run. This program is offered in addition to the Crime Stoppers reward program, so doing the right thing could yield you $2,000. The number for Hit-and-Run Reward is 1-800-644-8678.
