Police Investigate Columbia Hit and Run Crash That Killed Child Pedestrian
According to South Carolina law, it is a crime to leave the scene of an accident without presenting your identifying information to the driver of the other vehicle and, if necessary, making sure that everyone injured in the accident gets medical assistance. Why would someone Even if there are no injuries, a driver who causes property damage in a car accident and then leaves the scene can be charged with a criminal misdemeanor. If convicted, he or she could receive a jail sentence of up to one year. If the hit and run accident causes severe bodily injury, the driver could be convicted of felony hit and run and get a prison sentence of up to ten years. If someone dies as a result of the accident, then it is hit and run vehicular homicide, a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. If the consequences are so dire, why would someone take the risk of fleeing the scene? Often, hit and run drivers have other criminal charges to fear if they get caught, such as driving without a license, DUI, felony drug possession, or illegal possession of a weapon. Someone with so many legal troubles may not sound like the ideal defendant in a personal injury case. Even if you do not end up suing the driver who injured you in a hit and run accident, a South Carolina car accident lawyer can help you find other ways to get the compensation you need.
Late Night Birthday Party Ends in Tragedy
On the evening of November 7, Kayden Valdez and other members of his family attended the birthday party of a family friend at the friend’s home on Percival Road in Columbia. The party went on late into the night, and at some point, Kayden wandered outside alone. A witness called the police at around 2:30 in the morning on November 8, when he saw the child standing alone next to the road; the witness described Kayden’s location as near the fog line. The witness was worried that a child alone a night on a dark stretch of road was in great danger of getting hit by a car. In fact, by the time he looked behind him as he contemplated pulling off the road to try to help the child get home, a car that the witness described as a dark sedan had already stricken Kayden and kept driving. Kayden was pronounced dead shortly after the accident. He was six years old.
Many legal questions related to this accident remain unanswered as the investigation continues. The Columbia Police Department and Richland County Sheriff’s Office are looking for surveillance camera footage of the area that might give them more clues about the vehicle that caused the accident. It is also not known why Kayden was outside alone in the middle of the night.
Let Us Help You Today
Hit and run accidents are financially and emotionally devastating, but a Columbia car accident lawyer can help you begin to rebuild your life after a serious injury. Contact The Stanley Law Group for a consultation.
Resource:
wltx.com/article/news/local/six-year-old-boy-killed-in-hit-and-run-in-columbia/101-74be7cd8-0f16-4de4-97ab-a3b46ee29fa0
