CC leads to uneventful interaction with police

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Sunday afternoon... I usually park in the garage of my apartment building, but since I live on the first floor, sometimes when I know I'm going out the same day, or early the next, I'll just park right in front of my window on the street-side parking. My g/f told me it's a bad idea since I pay for parking anyways, and idiots drive on the street (any street, not mine in particular) but I'm lazy. Well as all good guy stories start out or finish, I should have listened to my lady...



Some idiot had the nerve to pull into my rear end causing minor (1/2" deep) dents in the rear bumper and bending the license plate a bit. Here's the kicker, they didn't even pull back out or anything, they parked and left the car still denting the bumper. *sigh* As I approached the car I was like that guy's parked a little close and then when I saw it, I almost flipped out. I went back into my place, took lots of pictures. It was raining and took pics of the dry spots under my car so you could see I was there before it rained while the other car had no dry spots and came after me.



I called Alexandria non-emergency police #, and about 20 mins later (grrr. considering I live 2 blocks from the station) they sent an officer over. I said, "before you notice, I'm concealed carrying and I have my permit if you need it." He said, I'd like that and your driver's license, but don't worry, I need your license anyways for the report. I guess there was no real reason to disclose or inform, I just wanted to have this go as smoothly as possible. About an hour later he wrapped up his investigation (looking at the damage & dry spots), had a second car drive to the registered owner's house and try to knock on the door (they weren't there), called their listed telephone, and to no avail said he'd get back to me on Wednesday. The only comment concerning CC was, "You're wearing a pretty thin shirt, if you outline, you might get a bunch of guy with a gun calls on you, so if you want to conceal look into a heavier shirt." No lecture or anything, just a friendly suggestion, so I told him thanks and we wrapped things up.



Now I've just gotta get an estimate for damage, look into structural safety problems with the rear bumper (if any) and go through b.s. insurance craps to get it fixed. Guess where I'll be parking from now on even if I'll only be an hour in my place between errands? : (



He mentioned in passing since there was no note, that this was a hit and run, but never followed it up again, LEO229, what's that entail exactly, that the other guy wil get in criminal trouble for this? I just want my crap fixed. Is there any way they can weasel out of it?

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HankT wrote:

Lucky they didn't send LEO 229 over there...

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Damn, Hank. I agree with you for a change! :lol:

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Last time I called the police, about three weeks ago, I was OC'ing when they arrived



Here's the story as posted on another PA specific web site:

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Some idiot had the nerve to pull into my rear end causing minor (1/2" deep) dents in the rear bumper

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On your STI? :cuss::cuss::cuss::cuss::cuss: Sub human formations of bovine fecal matter arranged in a large pile which appears to walk no doubt.

Maybe you can take a cue from my ongoing "project porcupine". As you know I ride a m/c (or 2). Usually, I don't have a problem with tailgaters but every once in a while, when I'm using a blocker, people just won't take the hint to either back off or go around. My solution is the formation of an exo-frame of chromemoly steel, with large spikes sticking out in all directions. If granny pulls her'76 buick across my path, I want a stronger deterrant than my 90w headlight, so I figure the prospect of an impaling should do the trick.

I know it's unlawful to set a spring trap, but, wouldn't it be great if we could come up with a Lo-Jack add on taser? Actually I think a proximity activatedTaser would also be ok, but then... I'm not in the General Assembly.

APD guy was right about the heavier shirt too.

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So the original cop called me up last week and said he can't judge fault and won't write up a report for it other than that if I want to go to the Magistrate's office, I can file for an incident report stating he was called and witnessed that it happened (implying that I could have backed up into the lady). GRRRR. I do have the pictures which show dry spots under my car and wet spots under the lady's car (oh yea, he told me it was a lady but wouldn't release contact information). Now I have three recourses, go through my insurance... go through her insurance... or file a criminal hit and run with the magistrate.

Leo229, if you're stil reading this, is there a statue of limitations here in VA about pressing charges, and is it even worth my time? (To establish fault and such before going to either insurance company).

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unrequited wrote:

So the original cop called me up last week and said he can't judge fault and won't write up a report for it other than that if I want to go to the Magistrate's office, I can file for an incident report stating he was called and witnessed that it happened (implying that I could have backed up into the lady). GRRRR. I do have the pictures which show dry spots under my car and wet spots under the lady's car (oh yea, he told me it was a lady but wouldn't release contact information). Now I have three recourses, go through my insurance... go through her insurance... or file a criminal hit and run with the magistrate.

Leo229, if you're stil reading this, is there a statue of limitations here in VA about pressing charges, and is it even worth my time? (To establish fault and such before going to either insurance company).

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Sorry... I just now read this...

He should have written it up and a hit and run with you as the victim!! I can see his reluctance but.. your car was parked overnight and you calledthe next morning when you found it. Most people do not keep contact between the vehicles overnight and call the next morning.

You still need that driver's information so the insurance company knows who to go after. Otherwise... you will have to pay your collision deductible. The insurance company really follows the officer's decision and will refuse to accept it as a hit and run and work it as a straight collision. This means YOU take the insurance hit.

You have one year to get a warrant if the damage is under $200 in value. If the damage is more than that the officer needs to go get a felony warrant. The problem is.... you need to know who was driving. The owner can be charged by default if he cannot or refused to identify the driver.

As an alternate route... you can sue the owner civilly!!



§ 46.2-896. Duties of driver in event of accident involving damage only to unattended property.

The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident in which no person is killed or injured, but in which an unattended vehicle or other unattended property is damaged, shall make a reasonable effort to find the owner or custodian of such property and shall report to the owner or custodian the information which the driver is required to report pursuant to § 46.2-894 if such owner or custodian is found. If the owner or custodian of such damaged vehicle or property cannot be found, the driver shall leave a note or other sufficient information including driver identification and contact information in a conspicuous place at the scene of the accident and shall report the accident in writing within 24 hours to the State Police or the local law-enforcement agency. Such note or other information and written report shall contain the information that the driver is required to report pursuant to § 46.2-894. The written report shall, in addition, state the date, time, and place of the accident and the driver's description of the property damage.

Where, because of injuries sustained in the accident, the driver is prevented from complying with the foregoing provisions of this section, the driver shall, as soon as reasonably possible, make the required report to the State Police or local law-enforcement agency and make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or custodian of the unattended vehicle or property and report to him the information required by § 46.2-894.

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Wow. That reply was for awesome. There's a lot to think about now and I'll let you know but thanks for all the options. I hadn't even thought about Small Claims Court (which I just looked is <$5,000).

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The officer can find "the other car" at fault and not press any charges if you do not want them placed.

Identification of the car at fault helps the other vehicle owner identify responsibility. Getting a ticket is not required at all.

If your not happy with his decision... Ask to speak with his supervisor.

I was approached by a citizen who was in an accident that was CLEARLY the other driver's fault. The officer refused to make a decision!! The at-fault driver's insurance denied all claims because neither driver was held at fault.