Source: Miamiherald.com
The Hialeah Police Department has released additional information regarding a fatal hit-and-run accident in Hialeah that took place last Friday at the intersection of East First Avenue and Ninth Street in Hialeah. The police department has identified the victim who was confirmed dead at the scene as 63-year-old Julio Cesar Garcia.
Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the moments before the crash and a small glimpse of one of the white cars that left the scene of the accident. A red sedan behind the white car could be seen abruptly stopping afterwards. Witnesses said a third vehicle was also involved in the crash but fled the scene before first responders arrived. Our most sincere thoughts and condolences are with the family of Julio Cesar Garcia.
Leaving the Scene of An Accident in Florida
Leaving the scene of an accident is referred to as a hit & run in Florida and this is a serious crime. For the regulations regarding hit and runs feel free to take a look at Florida Statutes §316.027. Under Florida law, leaving the scene of an accident is defined as a driver’s failure to remain at the site of an automobile accident when that accident involved property damage, bodily injury or death.
The main idea under the law is that if a driver is involved in a car accident, they are required to immediately stop and stay at the scene of the accident. It is illegal to flee the scene without providing your name, address, insurance and other information. There are certain statutory duties detailed in the section regarding a Florida hit-and-run such as:
- You must immediately stop following the accident, staying as near to the site of accident as possible;
- You are required to show your driver’s license, if the other party asks;
- You are required to provide your identifying information to the person who owns the property which was damaged or to the injured party;
- You must provide your driver’s license, registration, and address to the police officer on the scene, and
If there were no witnesses to a crash, and only property damage occurred (you hit another car in the parking lot or ran into a mailbox), you must first make an attempt to locate the property owner, and, if unsuccessful, you must securely attach a written notice with your name and address and the basics of the accident in a place which will be easily seen. You must then notify the nearest law enforcement agency of the accident.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney Today!
According to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (“FLHSMV”), in 2018, there were over 101,151 hit and run crashes in the entire state of Florida. Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough, even when both parties exchange insurance information. But what happens if you’ve been the victim of a hit and run? If you were the victim of a car accident, you may want to seek a Miami hit and run accident lawyer to help make sure you obtain compensation for your injuries.
After a hit and run accident, our law firm can help you file an accident claim with your auto insurance company. Although you have the right to make a claim, this does not always mean that the payout will cover all of your injuries and medical expenses. Insurance companies usually want proof that the accident actually occurred and will want documentation and information from you after you report your claim.
Our firm can help you prove that you sustained injuries in a hit-and-run accident and that the at-fault driver violated Florida’s law by failing to stop and exchange information with you. We do this by obtaining your medical records and documents that detail the nature and severity of your injuries, gathering all invoices and records of all medical expenses and treatment, obtaining a police report detailing the hit and run accident, compiling all eyewitness testimony if available, requesting any traffic camera video or surveillance camera video from a nearby business and much more.
We are available 24/7 to give you a free, no risk case consultation.
