Driver Turns Himself In After Leaving The Scene Of Accident That Injured Child

Everyone knows that you are not supposed to run from the law, but what are you supposed to do instead?  When you get arrested at a traffic stop or when a police officer claims to have caught you in the act of a crime, both instinct and legal theory compel you to play possum; remain silent and keep a low profile until the police take you to the police station, and then call a criminal defense lawyer.  What happens if the investigation into your alleged crimes has been a slow and quiet one, and you are just having a normal day when you find out that the court has issued a warrant for your arrest.  You shouldn’t go into hiding or board an international flight, but can you just go on having a normal day?  It turns out that the best thing you can do if there is a warrant out for your arrest is to turn yourself in.  If the offense to which the warrant relates has to do with driving, then you should only turn yourself in with the help of a Pittsburgh traffic violations lawyer.

Why Turning Yourself In Is the Best Way to Get a Favorable Outcome in Your Case

Arrest warrants do not expire, so you remain wanted by the police until they find you or until you do something about your arrest warrant.  The best kind of “do something” is to turn yourself in, because it means that you are facing your criminal case on your own terms.  Start researching and strategizing before you set foot in the police station.  Contact the sheriff’s office or police department in the county that issued the warrant and find out all the information you can about the charges.  Then contact a bail bond company.  Before you go to the police station, meet with a criminal defense lawyer and start discussing your defense strategy or plans for a plea deal.  Even before you get to the police station, your lawyer can negotiate with prosecutors for a lower bail amount.  Therefore, turning yourself in can be as simple as signing some paperwork, posting bail, having a normal rest of the day, and not thinking about your next court date until tomorrow.

In the News

In February 2024, James Phelps struck a four-year-old boy with his car as the boy stood on a sidewalk in Pittsburgh’s Hill District with an adult family member.  The boy was treated for injuries at the hospital, but Phelps, 74, did not stay at the scene of the accident until the ambulance arrived.  Police issued a warrant for Phelps’s arrest; he turned himself in later that day.  He is facing charges for careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident involving bodily injury.

Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are being charged with hit and run.  Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.

Source:

wpxi.com/news/local/arrest-warrant-issued-man-suspected-hitting-child-fleeing-scene/KXUOEEAO75AS7DYYENAHHTE3FI/