A hit-and-run driver is a person who flees the scene of an accident. That accident may or may not have resulted in injuries. The point is that the person did not think to stop, even though someone could have been in serious pain or in a life-threatening position.
There is truly no excuse for leaving the scene of an accident other than doing so to obtain help when other emergency care isn’t possible. In most hit-and-run cases, drivers leave because they aren’t aware of the collision or simply because they fear the repercussions. Neither is a good reason for leaving the scene when another person is in pain.
In one case, a hit-and-run driver responsible for the death of an individual was identified only after the police discovered their vehicle. The crash took place in Commerce City when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 270. It was around 4:15 a.m., when authorities responded to calls about a body in the roadway.
In this kind of situation, it is normally not the fault of the driver on the highway that a pedestrian was present. It could have been a pedestrian walking the length of the highway for some unknown reason or perhaps someone whose vehicle broke down. Depending on where the pedestrian was at the time of the crash, a driver might not have faced charges.
However, leaving the scene of a crash is a serious offense. Even if a driver wouldn’t have been charged before, it’s likely that they would be for leaving the scene and failing to render aid.