QUESTION
Am I legally responsible if i witnessed a hit and run fender bender and reported it to the owners but not the police?
Asked on Jul 19th, 2013 on Automobile Accidents - Indiana
More details to this question:
Several days ago I witnessed a hit and run fender bender in a parking lot. I got the license plate number, found the people who own the vehicle that had been hit, gave them the information and offered to stay if they decided to report it. They decided not to so I left. Today an officer is coming to see me about what I witnessed. Could I get in trouble for not reporting it to the police myself, even if the owners decided not to?
1 ANSWER
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No. What you did was congratulatory. Although, if you had not been able to notify the owner of the vehicle, reporting it to the police would have been a good idea. By notifying the owners of the hit and run, they could then decide whether or not to report it. I suspect that the owner later decided to report the hit and run, and the police officer was just wanting to get a statement from you because you witnessed the accident. I commend you for taking the initiative to notify the owner of the vehicle that was hit, and getting the license plate number of the driver who fled. Unfortunately, in today's society, there are too many people who just don't want to get involved. Good work!
Answered on Jul 22nd, 2013 at 9:27 AM