Surveillance camera footage in the parking lot of the Saugus Cafe may have caught a crime. The footage obtained shows that on March 1st, a vehicle in the parking lot appears to have struck another parked vehicle (which was empty). The driver of the moving vehicle then exits to survey the damage, gets back in, and drives away. The footage doesn’t show the driver leaving any identifying information and none was found at the scene.
Investigators are currently looking for the public’s help to identify the suspect.
Hit-and-runs are covered under California Vehicle Code 20002 VC and makes it illegal for a person to flee the scene of an accident that resulted in some type of property damage. Whenever you’re involved in an accident, California Law states that you must stop at the nearest safe location and
- Locate the owner of the other vehicle
- Present your driver’s license and vehicle registration if asked
- Present the current registered address of the driver of the vehicle and the owner of the vehicle
- If the owner of the other vehicle cannot be located, leave a note with your contact information explaining the circumstances of the accident
In order to legally leave the scene of an accident when the other driver isn’t present or cannot be found, you must leave your identifying information in a conspicuous, easily-seen place so that the other driver can find it.
California Vehicle Code 20002 VC is a misdemeanor and the possible penalties include summary probation, up to 6 months in county jail, and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
In cases where a hit-and-run involves an occupied vehicle and one or more people are hurt, the crime may be upgraded to a felony and charged under California Vehicle Code 20001 VC. When charged as a felony, the potential penalties include up to 4 years in county jail and a fine of between $1,000 and $10,000.