Accidents involving drunk driving, hitting a pedestrian, and fleeing the scene are strikingly common in Hoboken, New Jersey and surrounding areas. In some cases, all three of these events will occur in the course of the same car crash. When these situations arise, the driver can be charged with numerous criminal and motor vehicle offenses, all of which are punishable by severe penalties. The most common criminal charges resulting from car accidents in New Jersey are assault by auto, DUI, and leaving the scene of an accident. If you are facing criminal charges as a result of a drunk driving accident in Hoboken, contact our experienced defense lawyers for immediate assistance. We provide free consultations and can help further explain the situation and your legal options.
Assault by Auto for Drunk Driving in Hoboken, NJ
In the city of Hoboken and New Jersey as a whole, the act of assaulting someone with your motor vehicle is known as “assault by auto.” According to NJSA 2C:12-1c, you may be convicted of assault by auto if you drive recklessly and thereby cause bodily injury to another person. Bodily injury includes physical impairments, pain, and illness. Seriously bodily injury, by contrast, includes bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of permanent disfigurement, death, or the loss of function of a bodily organ or member.
Assault by auto can be charged as an indictable offense if the relevant driver is found to have caused serious bodily injury, if the defendant was driving while intoxicated at the time of the accident, if the defendant drove within one thousand feet of school property, and based on a number of other factors. Indictable offenses for assault by auto can carry tens of thousands of dollars in fines and months to years in prison. Assault by auto can also be a disorderly persons offense carrying up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months in jail if the person who committed the assault caused non-serious bodily injury and was not driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Leaving the Scene of a Hoboken Accident
Once an accident has occurred, you absolutely must stop and follow a number of steps. The charges and penalties you face get worse if you flee the scene of an accident when someone was injured. In New Jersey, under NJSA 39:4-129, you can be charged with a serious indictable offense if you leave the scene of an accident where injury has occurred. Indictable offenses can carry thousands of dollars of penalties and years in prison. If you leave the scene of accident where property damage occurred, you can be convicted of an indictable offense that carries hundreds of dollars of penalties and potentially months in jail. You can also lose your driving privileges for months or even years if convicted of this crime.
Driver Flees the Scene After Assault by Auto in Hoboken
New Jersey roads can be dangerous for pedestrians and drivers alike. One accident in Hoboken, for example, escalated when one of the drivers attempted to flee the scene and subsequently hit a pedestrian. In this incident, two cars in Hoboken collided in what could have been a simple fender-bender. The collision occurred near 1st Street and Bloomfield at around 3 PM. Things then got out of hand quickly. According to Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante, one of the drivers involved attempted to flee the scene of the accident in his Honda. The driver of the Honda accelerated to a high speed and pulled up onto the sidewalk in an attempt to get away. Predictably, the driver hit a pedestrian, identified after the fact as a 56 year old Brooklyn man. This man had been standing by a stop sign prior to the fleeing driver striking him with his car and seriously injuring him. Bystanders claimed that the driver of the Honda had fallen asleep at the wheel, and, when a bystander tapped on the driver’s window, he started driving. That is when he hit a vehicle and attempted to flee, driving up on the sidewalk and injuring the pedestrian. The police said that the driver was drunk, which explains why he has been charged DWI and assault by auto.
Defense Lawyer Needed for Hoboken Assault by Auto Charges
If you were involved in an accident in Hoboken and have subsequently been arrested on charges for DUI, assault by auto, or leaving the scene, you would be well-advised to consult an experienced defense attorney as soon as possible. Our local Hoboken, New Jersey assault by auto lawyers defend clients accused of these crimes in Hudson County on a regular basis. We have the knowledge and experience it takes to defend your rights. Call (201) 793-8018 for more information today.
