Hit & Run Lawyer Greensboro, NC

At Garrett, Walker, Aycoth & Olson, Attorneys at Law, our criminal lawyers have seen it all when it comes to handling and helping people charged with hit and run cases in Greensboro, NC. Hit and Run charges can be something as minor as a bumper tap in a store parking lot to hitting someone crossing the street and then leaving the scene before police arrive. In North Carolina, please remember, it’s vital if you’re in a car accident to remain at the scene until law enforcement arrives. If you don’t, it could result in misdemeanor or even felony charges. Our criminal defense lawyers understand the nuances of hit and run cases and how best to help someone who has left the scene of an accident. Let’s go over hit and run charges together.

What should I do if I’m charged with Hit and Run in Greensboro, NC?

Our recommendation is to call our Hit & Run Lawyers in Greensboro as soon as possible at 336-379-0539. Our top rated hit and run lawyers understand the importance of protecting your record, and also, protecting your license when you have these charges. Because hit and run cases involve both the criminal justice system as well as the DMV system, we know how vital it is to protect your rights and your record when charged with a hit a run case. Also note, hit and run is also referred to as leaving the scene of an accident. Probably the best term is hit and run leaving the scene of an accident without speaking with law enforcement, which is the way the statute reads. The only time you’re allowed to move your vehicle after an accident is if it would be dangerous for you car, or for people that your vehicle remain in that same position. It’s best to leave your car where it is until police arrive, and let them advise you on whether you can move your car and where to move it to.

What are the elements of Hit and Run in North Carolina?

What level of a crime is Hit and Run Leaving the Scene of an Accident?

The most basic type of hit and run is a misdemeanor level charge. In North Carolina, misdemeanor hit and run is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Misdemeanors in North Carolina range from Class 3, which is the lowest level misdemeanor which would be if you were caught with less than half an ounce of marijuana, all the way up to A1, which would be an assault on a female charge or assault on a government official. To put a Class 1 misdemeanor into perspective, think of it as the second highest level misdemeanor criminal charge in North Carolina. We have created the sentencing chart below so you can better understand how a Class 1 Misdemeanor is punished in North Carolina.

Am I facing jail time for hit and run charges?

For a misdemeanor hit and run, generally not, but if you have prior convictions on your record you could get up to 45 days in jail and if you have five or more conviction dates you could end up with up to a 120 day jail sentence. For felony level hit and run charges, you will be facing prison time and this is why it’s vital to speak with a top rated criminal defense lawyer in Greensboro so we can assess you situation and help you with your hit and run leaving the scene of an accident case.

After I’ve been arrested and served with Hit and Run charges, what happens next?

After you’ve been served or arrested for a hit and run charge the next step is going to be you’ll have court dates. These court dates typically will fall between a month to two months after you’ve been arrested. Generally, the district attorney in Guilford County will look at the file to see what the allegations are and then communicate with the officer the day of court. Every police officer and sheriff has a scheduled court date and those court dates are between a month and two months out. The Guilford County DA’s office will put your case on the officers court date so that way they can speak with them about their perspective about what happened and why you were charged with hit and run. This conversation will lead into a conversation with your attorney about the State of North Carolina’s perspective on your case.

Our criminal attorneys receive a lot of phone calls from clients attempting to figure out their next court date. If you need help locating your court date, use the button below, type in your last name, then your first name to check the court date. For example, Smith,John – would look up John Smith’s court dates. You can use the system provided by the North Carolina Judicial Branch to check your pending court dates.

With a Hit & Run charge, will I need to be in court?

When it comes to his and run cases, our Greensboro criminal lawyers focuses on lining up the details necessary to put your case in the best situation possible. This usually will take a couple of court dates as we speak with the officers and get an idea of what the State of North Carolina’s case is against you. If we feel that there is a good opportunity to win your case at trial for a hit and run charge, we will set it for trial and then let you know that you need to be in court.

It’s important to note, that in some instances the DA’s office will mark your file where you must be present at your next court date. If this happens we will text you this information and if you have any questions you can give us a call. Typically, this notice will be a couple of weeks to a month prior to your court date to give you time to rearrange your schedule the day of court to be there.

What makes a Hit & Run a Felony?

We’re often asked the question of what separates a misdemeanor hit and run from a felony hit and run charge? And the simplest explanation is was someone injured and how serious were those injuries?

Hit and run cases are tough because they’re accidents. The dilemma is always what happened after the accident. Accidents happen and often they don’t turn into criminal charges, but leaving the scene of an accident before law enforcement arrives is a crime. And something as simple as a fender bender which may or may not have resulted in a citation or a warning, now turns into a felony. Be cautious of this as our hit and run lawyers have represented countless people charge in a routine accident, but they didn’t wait on law enforcement to arrive.

Felony Hit & Run is a Class F Felony and when you look at the sentencing chart below you can see that there is a pretty wide range of sentences one can receive depending on their prior record level. Our felony criminal lawyers understand how to protect people who have felony hit and run cases and know just how important it is that you and your case receive the best possible defense and advice.

What are Defenses to Hit & Run Cases?

A common defense is that you honestly and earnestly did not know that your vehicle was in a car accident. This is an interesting question depending on a number of factors including the statements of the driver of the other vehicle, other witnesses on scene, the level of the damage, etc.

But what if it’s a clear accident, no question that everyone involved would have known about it, what then? There is an exception in the hit and run statute that provides a person may leave the scene of an accident if staying at the scene places the driver or other a significant risk of injury.

This is why you should contact our top rated hit and run lawyers in Greensboro, NC – our law firm handles Hit & Run cases in Guilford County & Randolph County – Greensboro, High Point & Asheboro Lawyers to help with your Hit and Run charges.

Call Garrett, Walker, Aycoth & Olson, Attorneys at Law, at (336) 379-0539  to schedule a free, in-depth consultation with our experienced lawyers.

Greensboro Hit and Run Lawyer Google Reviews:

Client Review

“Jason Aycoth is the best lawyer in the city! The treat you like family and truly have your best interest! If you need anything this is the place to go! I highly recommend them! Best Greensboro criminal defense lawyers!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”                              July 19, 2022

Marvin W.
5 / 5 Stars