An Avon, Colorado, man who allegedly left the state after striking a pedestrian with his car has been returned home and charged with vehicular assault.
The Denver Post reports that on Dec. 9, 2013, the accused motorist had been driving through Avon when he purportedly ran over another man and subsequently fled the scene. According to the source, the victim, who had sustained a fractured leg and other injuries, was left lying on the ground for 40 minutes in sub-zero weather before finally being found by emergency personnel and hospitalized. The man later went on to make a full recovery.
Police, however, were unable to apprehend the driver, who apparently left the state and moved to Tennessee, but not before selling his car — the vehicle allegedly involved in the hit-and-run — to a couple from Georgia. A joint investigation between the Avon police department and Georgia Bureau of Investigation eventually led officials to that couple and the accused's car, which was missing a black plastic fastener — the same piece of debris left behind at the scene of the accident. Following this trail, police were able to apprehend the suspect in Chattanooga, ultimately bringing him back home to Colorado.
The accused was charged with vehicular assault, DUI and leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury. He was sentenced on Monday, Feb. 23, to 360 days in prison and five years of probation.
Being involved in a hit-and-run is a scary situation for any driver, and acting on your gut instinct of trying to get as far away as possible only makes the situation worse. If you've been accused of criminal traffic offenses like these, make sure you have The Orr Law Firm on your side to defend your case.