19-Year-Old Suspect Charged in Hit-and-Run Accident

A 19-year-old suspect has been charged with felony Hit-and-Run with Injury alongside other charges for an accident he fled from on January 4. Saturday night, just after 6:30 p.m., Wilmington Police Department units responded to a pedestrian accident in the 600 block of S. College Road. Once they arrived, officers located a man in the roadway who had been struck by a vehicle. EMS took the man to the hospital for treatment.

Wilmington Police Department reports that the suspect previously fled the scene and was detained by New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office deputies off of Bayshore Drive a short time later. Along with Felony Hit-and-Run, the suspect was also charged with Driving while License Revoked and Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia. He was given a $10,000 secured bond. The investigation into this incident remains ongoing.

Delaware’s Hit-and-Run Laws 

You can find Delaware’s Hit-and-Run statute in Title 21, Section 4201 of the Delaware Code. Under the statute, a motorist is required to do three things after a crash to avoid a charge of Hit-and-Run. These include:

• Stop your vehicle at the scene of the accident,
• Provide your name, address, registration number, and vehicle license number to any individual involved in the crash, and
• Render “reasonable assistance” anyone who is injured in the accident (for example, contacting emergency services)

In addition, you must report the accident to the police if the accident:

• Results in injury or death
• Occurs on a public highway and results in property damage to an apparent extent of $2,000 or more or
• When it appears that a driver involved in the crash is intoxicated as a result of alcohol or drugs

The penalties for leaving the scene of a vehicle accident can be severe. You can face jail time. This is especially true if someone is injured or killed in the accident. In that case, you could be causing them further injury by not reporting the incident to emergency responders or police. An individual can face a prison sentence of up to 5 years for fleeing the scene of an accident if that accident results in the death of an innocent party. In addition, the individual can face a prison sentence of up to two years if they cause a serious injury to someone during the accident.

Delaware law makes it vital to stop and render assistance if you cause serious injury in a car accident. Even if the accident is your fault, you must stop, render assistance, and provide the injured party with your information.

Talk to a Wilmington, DE Criminal Defense Lawyer Today 

The law office of Michael W. Modica represents the interests of Wilmington, DE residents who are facing serious criminal charges. Call our Wilmington criminal defense lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your defense strategy right away.

Source:

portcitydaily.com/news-briefs/2025/01/06/19-year-old-charged-with-hit-and-run/