There are many reasons why people flee the scene of an accident. In some cases, like a single car bumping into a public guard rail or sign pole, the accident itself seems too insignificant to bother stopping. In more serious hit-and-run cases, drivers who were drinking flee to avoid operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI) charges and are afraid that someone was hurt and want to avoid other serious criminal charges like vehicular homicide and manslaughter.

Whatever the reasons, failure to stop after an accident is a serious criminal charge. Commonly called “hit-skip,” a hit-and-run conviction can result in a range of serious penalties, many of which are mandatory, including license suspensions, fines and vehicle immobilization. In a majority of cases, the court will impound a car or put a club on the car’s wheel for 30 days. If you are facing hit-and-run charges, call a Cincinnati hit-and-run accident defense attorney as soon as possible.

“It is important to call me right away. It is very easy to say the wrong things or to accidentally make decisions that will harm your case. I can help you through the entire process, including the very important early stages of the police investigation. If possible, contact me right from the scene of the accident, even before making any statements to the police.” ∙ Matthew T. Ernst, Attorney at Law

At Ernst & Associates, LLC, we have more than 15 years of experience representing Ohio clients in hit-and-run cases. We can help you defend against failure to stop after an accident charges involving:

  • Private property — including parking lots, buildings, billboards and other privately owned signs, mailboxes and private land damage
  • Public property — including streets, guardrails, parks and public signs.
  • Single car accidents
  • Multiple car accidents

If the police manage to find any identifying information after you have fled an accident scene, they will come to your house to question you. If you call us before that, we can advise you as to how to best protect your rights going forward.

We offer free initial consultations. Call (513) 579-9500 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.