Westfield DUI Leaving the Scene Attorney
Car accidents are generally very stressful events, and sometimes, they can cause people to panic and do things they would not ordinarily do, such as leaving the scene of the accident. This panic effect can be even stronger when a person is involved in a crash while intoxicated. If you are being charged with leaving the scene of a DUI crash in Westfield, Indiana, your first step should be contacting a Westfield DUI leaving the scene lawyer.
The Criminal Defense Team of Baldwin Perry & Wiley P.C. – Your Westfield Criminal Defense Team
At The Criminal Defense Team, our firm has a unique distinction in the state of Indiana. In the entirety of the state, there are a total of six Board-Certified Criminal Trial Specialists, and five of them practice with us. This is a prestigious certification from the National Board of Trial Advocacy, and attorneys must pass a written exam, have significant trial experience, and receive recommendations from both peers and judges.
We also have an attorney at our firm who is a former prosecutor for murder and major felony cases. This means he has inside knowledge regarding how prosecutors handle serious crimes, which means we are positioned to anticipate and counter any move a prosecuting attorney might make during a case. We also approach each case as a team, with two attorneys and one paralegal assigned to each one. This allows us to give our clients the service they deserve.
When you choose us to defend you against criminal charges, you also get access to an attorney around the clock. Because we know that sometimes our clients need us outside of regular working hours, we have a lawyer on call 24 hours per day.
Indiana DUI Laws
Across the United States, thousands of people are killed every year in car accidents with drunk or drug-impaired driving as a contributing factor. In 2024, there were 11,904 intoxicated driving-related deaths on American roadways. Thousands of people make the mistake of driving while intoxicated every day, and the consequences can be severe.
In Indiana, like most states, a person is considered intoxicated if they have a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of 0.08% or higher. Drug intoxication is a little more difficult to quantify, but the law states that if a person has a controlled substance classified in either Schedule I or Schedule II in their blood, or a metabolite of one of those substances, they can be charged with driving under the influence (DUI).
DUI charges associated with crashes become much more serious when a person has been injured or killed. For example, if a person drives while intoxicated and gets involved in a crash that results in another person’s death, the driver can be charged with involuntary manslaughter under Indiana law. Involuntary manslaughter is a Level 5 felony.
What Difference Does Leaving the Scene Make?
No matter how careful drivers are, car accidents are bound to happen. Because of this established fact, Indiana has laws that require drivers to attend to certain duties in the aftermath of a car accident. Leaving the scene of an accident without exchanging information with the other driver or, if applicable, talking to the police, constitutes a hit-and-run and is always illegal.
If you leave the scene of an accident that caused a serious injury or death, and you were also driving under the influence, you could be charged with a Level 3 felony.
Hire a DUI Leaving the Scene Lawyer
If you find yourself being charged for leaving the scene of an accident that happened while you were driving under the influence, you need to enlist legal help as soon as you can. When you hire a DUI leaving the scene lawyer, they can help you protect your rights during the investigation and criminal justice process. Your defense attorney can also watch for any violations of your constitutional rights during the process and address those if they arise.
FAQs
How Much Does a DUI Leaving the Scene Lawyer Cost in Indiana?
Whether you are in Westfield, Indianapolis, or Franklin, the cost to hire a DUI leaving the scene lawyer in Indiana can vary significantly from case to case and from person to person. Attorneys usually set their own hourly rates, and some may have additional fees associated with their work. Most lawyers require a retainer fee to begin working on a case. This is an up-front lump sum payment that the lawyer can bill their hours against as the case goes on.
Is Leaving the Scene of an Accident Always a Felony?
No. Leaving the scene of an accident is not always a felony. Under most circumstances, it is actually a misdemeanor. Leaving the scene of an accident becomes a Level 6 felony if the accident resulted in moderate bodily harm to another person, a Level 4 felony if it resulted in catastrophic injuries or death, and a Level 3 felony if the accident resulted in catastrophic injuries or death and the driver in question was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
What Are the Possible Penalties for a DUI Leaving the Scene Charge in Indiana?
If you are convicted of leaving the scene of an accident that happened because you were driving while intoxicated in Indiana, the level of your charges is likely to depend on whether or not a person was injured or killed. If someone was catastrophically injured or killed and you left the scene, you could be charged with a Level 3 felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 16 years. You could also be separately sentenced for the DUI offense.
Does it Still Count as a Hit-and-Run if I Hit a Parked Car?
Yes. Any time you are involved in any vehicle accident and leave the scene without exchanging insurance information with the other vehicle’s owner or notifying the police, you could be charged with a hit-and-run. As it is in more serious accidents, if you do this while intoxicated, you could be charged with both the DUI and leaving the scene of the accident.
Contact A Westfield DUI Leaving the Scene Lawyer At The Criminal Defense Team
When your future is at stake, you need an experienced and confident legal team to help you defend it. The Board-Certified Criminal Trial Specialists at The Criminal Defense Team of Baldwin Perry & Wiley P.C. are here to help you whenever you need us. Contact us today to discuss your needs.
Disclaimer: *Andrew Baldwin, Kathie Perry, Maxwell Wiley, Kelly Pyle, and Michael C. Cunningham are Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialists, as certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Find out why having a Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialist as your defense lawyer is important here.