Getting arrested for DUI does not mean you will be convicted. Police misconduct, defective breathalyzers and crime lab mistakes may be enough to get your charges lessened or dismissed. Visit our page on Colorado DUI Laws to learn more.
Colorado DUI
Getting arrested for DUI does not mean you will be convicted. Police misconduct, defective breathalyzers and crime lab mistakes may be enough to get your charges lessened or dismissed. Visit our page on Colorado DUI Laws to learn more.
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It is normal to be frightened and overwhelmed following an arrest. Therefore our lawyers are devoted to demystifying major topics in Colorado criminal defense law.
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Fleeing the scene of a car accident in Denver without stopping to exchange information or render aid if necessary is a Colorado crime.
The punishment for hit and run turns on the extent of the injuries, if any.
As long as no one gets seriously hurt, you face only traffic misdemeanor charges. Otherwise, leaving the a crash scene is a felony.
Denver hit-and-run crime | Penalties in Colorado |
Hitting an unoccupied vehicle
(CRS 42-4-1604) |
Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense
|
Causing only property damage
(CRS 42-4-1602) |
Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense
|
Causing a non-serious bodily injury
(CRS 42-4-1601) |
Class 1 traffic misdemeanor
The DMV will also revoke your driver’s license for six months to one year. |
Causing a serious bodily injury
(CRS 42-4-1601) |
Class 4 felony
The DMV will also revoke your driver’s license for six months to one year. |
Causing death
(CRS 42-4-1601) |
Class 3 felony
The DMV will also revoke your driver’s license for six months to one year. |
In addition, the Denver County judge can order that you pay victim restitution (which is separate from the criminal fine).1
Plus, the alleged victims may bring a negligence lawsuit against you in pursuit of compensatory damages. This typically includes:
Note that if the alleged victim died, their family might bring a wrongful death lawsuit demanding that you pay for loss of support and funeral expenses.
Depending on the circumstances of your case, the Denver District Attorney may dismiss your hit and run charges if we can show that either:
When fighting these cases, our Denver hit and run lawyers rely on such evidence as traffic surveillance video, eyewitness accounts, GPS records, and accident reconstruction expert testimony.
The statute of limitations by which time the Denver D.A. must bring hit and run charges turns on the seriousness of the case.
If there was only property damage, prosecutors have to file charges within one year of the accident. If there was a non-fatal injury, then the time limit to press charges is three years.
In fatal hit-and-run cases, the D.A. has five years to file charges. Though if prosecutors suspect you were driving recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, then they have ten years after the accident to bring charges.2
See our related article, What is the statute of limitations for hit-and-run in Colorado?
Michael Becker has over a quarter-century's worth of experience as an attorney and more than 100 trials under his belt. He is a sought-after legal commentator and is licensed to practice law in Colorado, Nevada, California, and Florida.