Legal Question in Traffic Law in Ohio

Re: hit and run in parking lot

If the police are able to track down your vehicle, they can charge you with both hitting the car and leaving the scene of an accident.

What penalties you might be looking at for hitting the car depends on what happened - did you clip a parked car, rear end someone, etc. It can range from a minor misdemeanor (like a speeding ticket) to a more serious misdemeanor offense.

Leaving the scene of an accident is a first degree misdemeanor. The maximum penalty is 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Whether any of this matters depends on if the owner of the other car reports it to the police. If the other driver was present when you hit his car, he may have been able to get your license plate, or at least provide the police information about your car. If the other driver was not around, he or she may not report it, depending on just how much damage was done to his or her vehicle.

You should probably talk to a lawyer that handles traffic and criminal matters and discuss with him or her your options, including whether you should turn yourself in.

If you have any further questions or would like to come in and talk about your situation in more detail, feel free to contact me.