$82 Fine for Hitting an Officer with a SUV
According to this Post and Courier article, a man was fined $82 after hitting an officer with his vehicle. The officer, Wes Foster, said the first responders may have been the difference between life and death. He suffered a broken skull and other injuries when he was hit by the automobile while directing traffic around an earlier traffic crash on Folly Road.
His injuries will put him out of work for months. He expressed no opinion when asked of the fine handed down to the driver who hit him. This could be due to his understanding of the criminal code. The driver was charged with operating his vehicle at a greater speed than reasonable under the conditions. This does not necessarily mean he was speeding. Also, alcohol was not a factor in the car accident.
Is a $82 Fine Proper Punishment for Hitting an Officer with a Car?
There are more serious charges the driver could have faced, like reckless driving. Reckless driving is a charge issued when a driver operates a vehicle with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. Since this was not the charge, it indicates the prosecution feels the fines were appropriate.
It is important to remember the criminal justice system intends to deter and mitigate crime by those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts. Punishment for criminal convictions include fines, probation, and jail time.
It is the civil justice system’s goal to compensate an injured person and minimize the short and long term affects of another person’s harmful actions. If you are found to be liable in a civil case, you face possible monetary damages. This helps the injured party pay for the medical treatment needed due to an accident. There is also the potential of recovering financial damages for pain and suffering. This would be in addition to what’s needed to pay the medical bills. The defendant could even be forced to give up property, but he or she will never face jail time in a civil case.
Car Collisions with Pedestrians
The 2012 Traffic Fatality Report shows 55 deaths caused by driving too fast for conditions through April. Fortunately, this officer was not killed. He still has many looming financial issues due to this accident. Who will pay the medical bills? How will he pay his living expenses while he is recovering? What if he cannot return to full time duty? These are the types of questions the Clore Law Group answers for the victims of auto accidents. If you were hit by a car or involved in any other type of auto accident, call today for a free consultation with one of our experience Charleston car accident lawyers.
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