Southern California Criminal Lawyer Blog
On January 5 of this year, a 32-year-old woman allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian in Rosemead; news reports indicate she was driving without headlights. Janet Bowman, driver of the SUV that struck and killed Qingrong Chai, turned herself into authorities after fleeing the scene of the accident.
The tragic accident occurred at approximately 7 p.m. in the area of Marshall Street and Greendale Avenue at an intersection. Witnesses told authorities that the SUV’s headlights were not on. Chai, who was 70 years old, died at the scene immediately following the accident. Bowman is scheduled to go to court in February. While news reports do not indicate the charges Bowman may face, it’s possible she will be charged with felony hit-and-run.
When an individual leaves the scene of an accident without identifying him- or herself to others who are involved, that individual may be charged with hit-and-run. Under California law, those involved in a car accident which results in injury or death are required to stop at the scene immediately. If you are the one who caused the accident and someone other than yourself suffered injuries or lost his or her life, prosecutors may decide to charge you with a felony offense, which typically involves more serious criminal penalties for those convicted than a misdemeanor charge.