Why wouldn't a man who ran a stop sign, hit someone and fled be cited?

[Tobra]

I was looking at the police report from my accident last month and it got me thinking. The report said the cause of the accident was because the guy failed to stop at the stop sign.

The old guy admitted he was speeding and ran a stop sign. He fled the scene and someone had to chase him to get him to come back. My impression was that he had been drinking. I formed this in observing his tremor, his gait, what he said and how he said it. The person who chased him down stated that when he saw someone was coming after him, the guy tried to escape by running a red light.

He was not cited for speeding or running the stop sign. They did not perform a sobriety test on him. They did not cite him for running away.

The old man told them he was looking for a safe place to turn around, which is pretty obviously BS, as he could have pulled over less than 100 yd from the intersection where the street becomes much wider, but is still two lanes.

The police report said I was going straight, instead of turning left. It says I was stopped in the intersection, when I was proceeding through the intersection. It has a statement from me that is not accurate. It has a statement from the witness, but does not include the fact that said witness had to chase the old guy or that the old guy ran a light trying to get away.

I can almost understand why they did not pinch him for felony hit and run, because the jails are full and I don't think they put people in jail for that anymore. I can't figure out why they did not cite him for running the stop sign. The county and state are both broke, and a stop sign ticket has got to be a grand, with fees and penalties. The old guy copped to running the stop sign, so why not cite him for it?

What do you guys think?

[masraum]

I think that's messed up. The guy caused an accident, and I think if I remember from your first post that his vehicle is hardly messed up. How he didn't get cited for hitting you after running a stop sign, I don't know. I'd be tempted to run this up the flag pole with the cops, but I can't imagine that would do you any good at all.

[pwd72s]

Lazy cop. Maybe it was near the end of his shift & he just wanted to go home?

Just guessing... A good lawyer could find out, if you are considering lawsuit.

[LakeCleElum]

Each state varies, but where I live, a felony would have to result in "grevious bodily injury or death.

Why not cited: Only a guess, but it would need witnesses to say who was driving when he hit you, a witness that chased him down willing to testify, etc. Drinking: someone to say he didn't drink after the accident.

Sounds like the witness thing is covered. Could be sloppy police work and or sympathy for an old guy. If he returned and offered to take responsiblity, not being cited is a fairly common closure to the case.

If you feel slighted, feel free to walk into the police agency during the daytime and ask to file a complaint and/or ask to speak to the Officers Lt. or Capt. - U should go over the head of the Sergeant to get results. G'luck

[Tobra]

Slighted? That never occurred to me.

I am more concerned about him killing someone. Dumb effing luck he did not kill my ass, if I had been going straight, I am fairly certain he would have. My injuries feel a lot more grievous than they should a month later. He did over 10 grand in damage to the car and returned because he could not get away from the people who chased him down. I don't think I like the idea of someone like that driving around.

[Superman]

I agree with you.

I wonder what his driving record looks like.

Water under the bridge, though. He got away with it.

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Maybe it was near the end of his shift & he just wanted to go home?

Ding Ding Ding

[URY914]

Take your complaint to the departments internal affairs division. Maybe the guy was the cop's brother-in-law?

[Scuba Steve]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

...sympathy for an old guy....

I was one of three passengers in a car going straight and we broadsided an old guy driving a minivan who pulled out to go from a parking lot on one side of the street to one on the other. There was no intersection, we were going straight while he was crossing the road, three witnesses and all evidence at the scene showed that it was his fault. No ticket.

[Rick Lee]

I got rear ended so hard, I thought it was going to knock my fillings out. I was boxed in at a red light and she pushed me into the car in front of me too. Cop said he "couldn't think of anything to cite her for." I said, "How about failure to maintain control of her vehicle?" He said she'd never pay it, not show for court, as she was a German au pair and returning to Germany the following week.

[Joe Bob]

Send the cop a dozen donuts and tell him that you are missing the copy of the citation.....

[M.D. Holloway]

Why wouldn't a man who ran a stop sign, hit someone and fled be cited?

Was he a D1A Football coach?

[IROC]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I got rear ended so hard, I thought it was going to knock my fillings out. I was boxed in at a red light and she pushed me into the car in front of me too. Cop said he "couldn't think of anything to cite her for." I said, "How about failure to maintain control of her vehicle?" He said she'd never pay it, not show for court, as she was a German au pair and returning to Germany the following week.

Same thing happened to me. Woman was not cited and when I asked why, the policeman said they only issue citations if there is personal injury involved. I expressed concern regarding clear indication of "fault" for insurance purposes and he said that it will be noted on the report. They put down that she "initiated an improper lane-change maneuver". Yeah - she failed to swerve at the last minute and ran right into the back of my 911!!!

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Superman

Water under the bridge, though. He got away with it.

Hardly, I will see to it he loses his license.

It may have been the end of their shift, but they were on their way to a motorcycle vs car wreck when they 'finished" with us.

[Zeke]

Had pretty much the same thing happen to me a few years ago. No injuries as my car was parked. But how do you get away with taking out a bus bench and 3 parked cars? Road was wet and they let the girl go because it was an "accident."

I thought you had to keep control of your car wet or dry.

[quicksix]

sac pd or sheriff?
might make a difference.
was the information on road conditions filled out correctly?
I would not approach them directly,maybe talk with an attorney first, learn what "the rules" are in this case. Do your research first.
Then google this menace and find out if he is some how "connected"
Good Luck

[Joe Bob]

Didja know that if you have a previously undiagnosed ailment and you are driving...the ailment like a heartattack, causes an accident, you are NOT at fault?

Friend had a parked car wiped out by a guy and the friend had just liability....he was hosed.

[Laneco]

I hate to point this out, but the truth is that elderly and handicapped people are almost never cited for moving violations no matter how grievous.

angela

[nynor]

because he is old and someone would make a big deal out of jailing an old man.

true story:

working in the ER, EMS bring an old guy in. turns out, he was driving in CIRCLES across ALL of the southbound lanes on I15 at about murray. his family stated that he has dementia, etc. and he was probably confused (duh!). when the police officer shows up, the first thing he does is give the old man his drivers license. i couldn't believe my eyes.

[Tobra]

It was CHP that did the report. I think Google is a good idea