In Boulder and throughout Colorado, drivers accused of committing crimes with their vehicles will inevitably face charges. They can range from driving under the influence, to leaving the scene of an accident to injuring another person. Along with these accusations will come a variety of penalties, including loss of driving privileges, fines and even jail. When dealing with these cases, it is imperative to understand the importance of a strong criminal defense.
A 36-year-old woman was arrested after she hit a bicyclist with her car and left the scene. The accident occurred in the mid-evening at around 6:30 p.m. According to the investigation, the woman was in an Acura MDX and a bicyclist was in front of her. The vehicle’s side-view mirror clipped the rider and she was thrown from the bike. The driver says — and witnesses corroborate — the difficulty in seeing because of the sun.
She says that she was unaware that she hit the rider due to the sun and was seen adjusting her visor at the time. According to her, she panicked when she realized what happened and was unsure of what she should do. The rider was taken to the hospital and diagnosed as having cracked three vertebrae. This accident is not believed to have been due to the driver having been under the influence. She has a clean record. The charges include careless driving leading to serious bodily injury and leaving the scene of an accident.
Being in a car accident is bad enough without an arrest and assertions that the driver was reckless and fled the scene. A conviction can have long-lasting consequences including the loss of a driver license, raised insurance rates, fines, even potential incarceration. The defense of the allegations is imperative to a reasonable outcome. In this case, the driver claimed that she had trouble seeing because of the sun and witnesses stated that at the time of the crash, the sun was indeed an issue.
While the rider suffered serious injuries, it is still crucial for the driver to have a strong legal defense to avoid the harshest penalties. A law firm with a history of helping those charged with reckless and careless driving might be able to get a plea bargain or an outright acquittal. It is crucial to call for legal assistance immediately when confronted with a case of this kind.
