From fender benders to hit-and-runs, vehicle accidents leave behind a range of injuries and damages. The right thing to do regardless of the severity of a car accident is to stop, check on the other individuals involved when possible and wait for authorities. One Arizona driver is claiming that it was impossible for her to stop after she hit a pedestrian due to stomach trouble.
According to the pedestrian, who was jogging at the time of the accident, the incident left her hurting all over. She required stitches and had several areas of bruising. The victim states that the driver should no longer be allowed to operate a motor vehicle given the circumstances of the accident.
The driver, who is a 92-year-old woman, claimed to be experiencing diarrhea at the time of the accident. She felt she could not stop and check on the jogger because she had an urgent need to seek a restroom. She stated that she left the accident scene and used the facilities in a nearby grocery store.
The 92-year-old woman, who now faces charges that include failure to yield to a pedestrian, failure to control speed and failure to stop, said she did some shopping after using the grocery store restroom. News reports indicate she purchased rolls for a church potluck she was to attend later. The woman stated that she did return to the scene 45 minutes after the incident, but no one was there.
Police located the 92-year-old woman at her home later. A witness to the accident noted the woman’s license plate number and was able to provide it to authorities. According to reports, the 92-year-old did not attend the church potluck, as she was too stressed and not feeling well.
In any car accident, the at-fault driver may be held responsible for damages and injuries caused. When a driver leaves an accident site, it can add another layer to the burden of proof required in some compensation claims. Understanding legal rights and options is always important, but may become even more so in a hit-and-run case.
Source: NY Daily News, “Hit and runs! Arizona driver accused of leaving scene claims diarrhea forced her to flee” Stephen Rex Brown, Feb. 05, 2014