Florida law does not require that the police be notified if a traffic accident was minor. However, if the accident involved injuries, fatalities, or serious property damage, the law states that the police must be called to the scene before those involved can leave. If you believe that the other driver is intoxicated or otherwise impaired, you are also required to contact the police. If a person flees from the accident, the police also need to be called. Even if the accident is minor, contacting the police may still be in your favor. Police reports contain valuable evidence that can be used in court if you decide to file a lawsuit later.
The Herald-Review reports on a man, believed to be intoxicated, who told crash victims not to contact the police.
The crash happened at 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of South Franklin Street and East Grove Roads on Sunday afternoon. Following the accident, the female driver got out of her vehicle, walked to the other vehicle and leaned into the window. According to those in the vehicle, she then said, “No one has to know; don’t call the police.”
The driver then left the scene and disappeared into a home on nearby Ridgeway Drive. Police tried until 2:30 p.m. to get the woman to come to the door. Finally, a man answered and let them in. There, police observed that the woman had glassy eyes and slurred speech.
She refused to submit to chemical testing but was later arrested. She is facing charges of two counts of aggravated driving under the influence.
Two females in the other vehicle both suffered serious injuries, including broken bones. One passenger, a 26-year-old woman, suffered from injuries to her knee that are still being evaluated, but may take months to recuperate from, said the mother of both victims.
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