Douglas County Sheriff’s Department is looking for help finding the hit and run driver who hit a deputy and then fled the scene. The incident occurred on November 24 when deputies were called out to an underage drinking house party in Highlands Ranch. The deputy was interviewing witnesses when he was hit. He sustained minor injuries as a result.
The Sheriff’s Department likely went to investigate the party to cite the party goers with MIP (minor in possession or underage consumption of alcohol). Douglas County believes there were multiple witnesses to the hit and run. Hit and run is a serious traffic offense. Aside from the possibility of jail time, fines and court costs, hit and run is also a 12 point traffic offense and is considered a major traffic offense. Both of these consequences have a serious impact on a person’s driving privilege.
In Colorado, an adult driver has 12 points available on his or her license in a 12 month period of time or 18 points in a 24 month period of time. If a driver takes a 12 point offense, such as a hit and run conviction, then that person will lose his or her license for a points suspension. In addition, the driver will have a major traffic offense on his or her driving record. In Colorado, if a driver accumulates too many major traffic offenses, the Department of Motor Vehicle will classify that person as an habitual traffic offender, which results in a lengthy license revocation. Besides hit and run, other examples of major traffic offenses are DUI, DWAI and reckless driving.
Depending on the severity of the injuries to the deputy, the hit and run driver could be charged with crimes more serious than a traffic offense. For example, while it does not sound as though the deputy was seriously hurt, if he had sustained serious bodily injury, such as a broken bone, the driver could be charged with vehicular assault. A vehicular assault conviction also has an impact on a person’s driver’s license.