Arrest and Injuries After Napa Hit-and-Run
On the evening of Tuesday, October 5, 2021, a Napa hit-and-run crash resulted in injuries and a DUI arrest, according to area police.
Details of the Napa Hit-and-Run
At approximately 6:34 p.m. on Tuesday, Napa Police officers were notified of a two-vehicle crash that occurred on Yount Street, in the 900 blocks. Witnesses reported that a woman who had been traveling east on Yount did not stop for a stop sign and collided with a vehicle that had been heading south on Main Street. The driver of the southbound vehicle reportedly suffered injuries, but not of the severity to require transport to a hospital.
At-Fault Driver Fled the Scene
Following the crash, the woman who ran the stop sign, who has since been identified as a 52-year-old Napa resident, continued driving for a period of time before exiting her vehicle and fleeing on foot. She ended up in the backyard of a home on the 1800 block of Main Street, according to authorities.
Hit-and-Run Driver Apprehended
Police officers were able to detain the fleeing driver without incident. She was transported to Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center for evaluation and treatment, after which she was booked into the Napa County jail. She faces felony charges of driving under the influence and causing injury and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in injuries. She spent the night in jail and was released at around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to county records.
Felony Traffic Offenses
The hit-and-run driver in Napa faces two felony charges. Most criminal charges related to driving are infractions (the least serious type of crime) and misdemeanors (mid-level offenses). A felony is the most serious category of crime. If you are convicted of a felony, the punishments are more severe than for the other types of crime – they carry longer jail sentences and higher fines.
A DUI charge where the driver is at or slightly above the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is usually a misdemeanor. However, if your BAC is way over the limit, or if you cause injury to another while driving impaired, the charges can be upped to felony level.
Felonies are defined differently in each state. There are two states that do not categorize crimes at all. Most states define the term by how long a prison or jail sentence the offense carries or where that incarceration may take place (county jail versus state or federal prison). Federal felonies are crimes that carry a punishment of incarceration for a period of more than one year. Many states also follow this definition, including California.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below describes felony crimes.
Criteria for Felony Traffic Charges in Napa Crash
While the information released about Tuesday’s crash does not indicate how high the allegedly drunk driver‘s BAC was, there are two other pieces of information within the story that point to why the traffic offenses were increased to felony charges:
- The impaired driving caused injury to another.
- The driver fled the scene of a crash that caused injury to another.
Any time you harm another in the course of your actions or exhibit callous behavior by not rendering aid to an injured person, the degree of your offenses may increase.
Napa, California Personal Injury Attorney
Hello – my name is Ed Smith, and I am the founder of AutoAccident.com. We are Napa Valley Personal Injury Attorneys. There are all sorts of ways that a negligent motorist can cause a car crash. Driving impaired is a primary cause, but so is speeding and reckless driving. If you or a loved one has been harmed by another driver’s carelessness or negligence, our team of skilled injury lawyers is here to help. Reach out to us at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400, and we will be happy to offer free and friendly advice.
Photo: by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash
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