Offering Bail to Those Charged with a Hit-and-Run
No one expects to be arrested, especially for a crime as serious as a hit-and-run. If you have been charged with a felony or misdemeanor hit-and-run, then you are facing months, even years, behind bars. However, until the jury finds you guilty, you don’t have to spend more time in jail so long as you post bail.
We at Balboa Bail Bonds offer bail bonds with a deep sense of compassion for our community. Our agents are always available to answer questions, offer support, and make fast payments. We understand how terrifying a hit-and-run charge can be, which is why we try to pay your bail as quickly as possible. To talk with one of our agents about getting your bail approved, call us at (619) 760-2222. We are ready to help.
Hit-and-Run Laws in California
When two vehicles hit each other, or one vehicle hits a pedestrian, there are laws governing how the people involved must react. According to California law, if you have been involved in a collision, you are required to stay at the scene and offer help if anyone has been injured. If no one has been injured, you are still required to stay and exchange contact information with the other parties involved.
Drivers who do not stay and wait, who instead flee the scene of the accident, can be charged with a hit-and-run. In California, hit-and-runs are considered wobbler offenses. This means that they can be either a felony or a misdemeanor depending on the circumstances of the crime. If no one was injured and the accident only resulted in property damage, then it becomes a misdemeanor crime. Typically, a misdemeanor hit-and-run conviction results in:
- Up to 6 months in jail
- Up to $1,000 in fines
A hit-and-run becomes a felony if the crash injured or killed someone. Even minor injuries to a victim could count against someone charged with fleeing the scene of the accident. This kind of conviction could lead to:
- Up to four years in prison
- Up to $10,000 in fines
Whether you are being charged with a misdemeanor or felony, you could end up spending extra time behind bars if you do not post bail. After all, in SoCal’s crowded courts, trials can take months, even years, to come to an end. Without bailing out, you will be spending that entire time in jail. Of course, bail for a hit-and-run is not cheap.
Bail for Hit-and-Runs
Every county in California has its own bail schedule. These schedules are set by local legislatures and help judges determine how high or low to set an arrestee’s bail. Bail schedules are not absolute. The judge is allowed to set bail where he or she feels it is appropriate. This means your bail could be lower than what the schedule stipulates, but it could also be higher as well.
For a hit-and-run with injury charge, San Diego County sets bail at $10,000. While this is lower than the bail set for many other crime, especially other felony crimes, it is still much higher than most people can afford. Few families in San Diego have several thousand just sitting in their bank account. But if you need bail for a hit-and-run around here, then you don’t need to carry the financial burden yourself.
The Importance of Fast Bail
When you are arrested and charged with a crime, you will be given a chance to post bail. Doing so means you will be out of jail for the duration of your trial. This may not seem that important on the surface, since trials on TV shows only take a few weeks. However, in real life, it takes a lot longer. The American criminal justice system is based on strict procedures, which means that a trial, even one for a hit-and-run, could take months to conclude. If you don’t post bail, you’ll be serving time before you are even convicted.
On top of that, visitors, even defense lawyers, are only allowed so much visiting time with people behind bars. Your attorney will have to adhere to these restrictions and will have far less time with you to build your case. On the other hand, if you post bail, then you can give your attorney all the time he or she needs to give you a strong defense.
Of course, how can you post bail if you can’t afford to hand over $10,000? That is where we at Balboa Bail Bonds come in. We can pay your bail within 24 hours of your call, getting you back home as quickly as possible. Even better, we offer a flexible payment plan, with just a 10% premium. This means that after you’ve complied with all court requirements and your bail is returned, and it comes time to pay us back, instead of owing us $10,000, you will only owe $1,000. Of course, even $1,000 can be difficult for some people to pay. Together, we can figure out a payment plan that works for your budgeting needs.
Call Balboa for the Bail You Need
Balboa isn’t just any bail bond agency. We provide our services with compassion and dedication. Our agents all have at least a decade of experience, and are available 24/7, 365 days of the year. If you need fast, reliable bail, there is no one better to work with than Balboa Bail Bonds. To speak with one of our incredible agents and get the process started, call us at (619) 760-2222 today.