Professional, charged with leaving the scene of accident (VTL 600), gets
no-criminal record outcome
2020
Our client, a business professional in Manhattan, was
arrested for allegedly driving, colliding with a bicycle, and leaving without giving
the bicyclist identifying information or and insurance card. When the
police arrived, they spoke with our client who admitted driving but then
doing certain things to avoid detection or arrest. The bicyclist was complaining
of bleeding, cuts, and other
physical injury. Our client
reached out to us for help and, initially, the prosecutor gave our client the choice of
going to trial or pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an accident
(VTL 600) which would give our client a permanent criminal record. After
fighting in court for a few months and investigating the underling circumstances
of the accident, we were able to negotiate a deal where our client would
only have to plead guilty to a non-criminal violation (similar to a traffic
infraction), pay a small fine, and complete
community service and there would be no
jail and no criminal record.