Earlier this week, a driver was traveling through the intersection of Main St. and Santa Ana Blvd. when another vehicle ran a red light and collided with the victim.
The driver of the vehicle that ran the red light fled the scene without rendering aid, and the victim was later transported to a hospital with significant injuries.
The next day, detectives in the Collision Investigation Unit developed leads on the suspect’s whereabouts.
The suspect, Michael West (29), of Anaheim, was located and booked for felony hit-and-run.
Michael West is facing a potential sentence of up to four years in state prison and significant financial penalties for felony hit-and-run following the collision at Main St. and Santa Ana Blvd. In California, leaving the scene of an accident involving injury or death is prosecuted under Vehicle Code 20001, a “wobbler” offense that can be charged as a felony when the victim suffers serious bodily injury.
Legal Penalties and Sentences
The specific penalties West faces depend on whether the charge remains a felony and the severity of the victim’s “significant injuries”:
- Felony Sentence: If convicted of a felony involving serious injury, the sentence is typically two, three, or four years in state prison.
- Fines: A conviction carries mandatory fines between $1,000 and $10,000.
- Restitution: The court will likely order West to pay victim restitution, which covers medical bills, lost wages, and other related expenses.
- License Revocation: A felony hit-and-run conviction usually results in the revocation or suspension of the driver’s license for one to three years.
Impact on Insurance
A felony hit-and-run conviction has severe long-term consequences for auto insurance:
- Premium Hikes: Drivers convicted of hit-and-run often see premium increases of up to 100% or more.
- Policy Cancellation: Many insurance companies will cancel coverage or refuse to renew the policy of a driver with a felony traffic conviction.
- High-Risk Label: The driver will be labeled as high-risk, making it extremely difficult and expensive to secure insurance through standard providers in the future.
- DMV Points: The incident adds two points to the California driving record, which remains for up to ten years.