Author Topic: Need Police Officer or Lawyers Advice (Read 841 times)

Pfunk · « **on:** March 07, 2003, 01:39:24 PM »

I would appreciate it if anyone in the law enforcement or lawyer community could give me some options to the problem addressed below.

Between 12:30 and 8:45 AM today someone backed into my girlfriends car and caused considerable damage to bumper. It was a hit and run. The car was parked in one of my spots at my apartment complex. I know that it was backed into because the vehicle that hit her car left behind some parts off of it. I called the Ford dealership b/c the parts had Ford and a part ID number on them. The part is the liscense plate light from either a Ford Explorer or a Ford Pickup. The police came and made an accident report. I have no proof other than the aforementioned parts that were left behind. I am assuming that the culprit was visiting the neighbors across the parking lot as one of there spaces was directly behind my g/f car. When they get home I plan on questioning them to see of someone who owns a Ford as described above either visited them or dropped them off at said time. IF they deny that they know someone with said vehicle, what options do I have? Can I file suit against them or have the police come and question them? They did over $1500 worth of damage to her car and her insurance will not cover it. It is pretty obvious that it was the people directly across the street, I highly doubt it is their neighbor as they are an older couple and would at the least left a note or confronted me about it. I am 99% sure it was the younger couple or one of their friends but have no pure evidence other than the left behind parts. ANY advice would be welcomed, thanks in advance.

SOB · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2003, 01:46:19 PM »

I don't know about what you can do legally, but based on the fact that you have absolutely no evidence they (or their friends) are the culprits, maybe you should think about this some more and calm down a bit before you talk to them.

SOB

Ripsnort · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2003, 01:49:23 PM »

You need to take some pictures of the who you suspect is the car that did the damage, if indeed there is damage to that car.

Why won't insurance cover it? Did she have none? Most insurance policies require uninsured motorist policies with them.

Pfunk · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2003, 02:08:17 PM »

I'm calm I just want the responsible party to pay for it, I plan on asking them if they know someone, I am not going to accuse them of anyting, as I know it was not them. Both of there cars and the neighbor that live there have no damage. Problem is that the person who did it does not live in the complex, but i can be on the look out for the car that did it

Pfunk · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2003, 02:13:01 PM »

Even if insurance did pay for it there is still a $500 deductible and her rates will increase.

boxboy28 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2003, 02:18:42 PM »

bieng that the car is parked and unattended, i believe the deductible is sopposed to be waved, we at least it has been for me here in Michigan with our nofault laws and My isurence company which is All-state.

Box

Gunthr · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2003, 02:25:32 PM »

The hit/run vehicle has to be located first. You can try canvassing the area for witnesses.

If you can find out where the offending vehicle is before it is repaired, the police can photograph it, match up the damage and look for transfer paint.

That would greatly increase your chance of reimbursment. The same suggestions apply if you seek a purely civil remedy. You need to locate that vehicle and/or witnesses.

Raubvogel · « **Reply #7 on:** March 07, 2003, 02:27:52 PM »

You should immediately go to the people you suspect and bust out all their lights and window glass with a baseball bat! Make sure you take off your shirt and drink some Busch first!

Batz · « **Reply #8 on:** March 07, 2003, 02:31:03 PM »

I agree with Raub,

But make sure scream and cuss while you are doing it.

Mickey1992 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 07, 2003, 02:41:13 PM »

Pfunk, I assume you live in the US. What state/city?

I imagine that you will have a hard time getting the police to spend any manhours to investigate a crime where a car hit another car in a parking lot, where there are no witnesses.

Mickey1992 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:04:12 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Raubvogel
You should immediately go to the people you suspect and bust out all their lights and window glass with a baseball bat! Make sure you take off your shirt and drink some Busch first!

When I was bartending in college, I stopped serving 3 idiots because they got too obnoxious and I was worried about a fight. (They were in their late 20's at a college bar). They finally left and as they walked behind the bar (with me following), one of them punched and knocked out the windshield of a car in the parking lot. It happened to be my '72 Bug. I followed the 3 and memorized the license plate of the car they got in. I ran a half block to a pay phone (this was in '89) and called the police but they had left the scene before the police got there.

The officer took the report and ran the plate. He gave me the info on the car and the owner. Unfortunately, the guy that punched my car was not the driver, so I was told to go to the courthouse and talk to a prosecutor. The person at the courthouse that I talked to told me that there was just no way the county or local PD could investigate the matter to try and figure out who the idiot was. There wasn't the manhour resources to interview people and investigate the crime, which is understandable eventhough I was plenty pissed.

All I had was the address of the owner of the "getaway car". I didn't have the time to shadow him to try and identify his buddy. So about a week later I drove by the address at night and threw a brick through the windshield of the getaway car.

Two wrongs don't make a right but at the time it felt plenty good.

Apache · « **Reply #11 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:18:25 PM »

I'm surprised the police did a report. In SC, the parking lot at an apartment complex is private property. Police won't get involved other than maybe provide you with an accident report that you will have to fill out. Normally though, one has to get the report from the local DMV. I highly doubt they will conduct an investigation. They already went further than we do, lol.

Why won't the insurance comany cover the cost minus deductible?

Pfunk · « **Reply #12 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:34:17 PM »

Well I talked to the neighbors across the street. Funny thing is that the girl that lives nextdoor to who I thought was the offending party does in fact have a boyfriend that drives an older f150, however he "Stopped by for a little last night around 8 after he went bowling" Oh well I guess the only thing I can do is to stake out the parking lot and hope that I see an F150 or an Explorer with a missing liscense plate light. If I in fact due find a vehicle that is missing that and photograph it can I take that evidence to the police? Or will the police need to come and photograph it for themselves. I live in GA and her Uninsured Motorist Coverage makes her pay $250, we both are in college and to us this is alot of money. He pays her own insurance etc. The police came and filled out an accident report this morning shortly after I discovered it. He stated that if the damage was over $500 which it was, in GA that is a felony. And that if I found out who did it or found the vehicle with the missing part to call the police back. Basically we want the love muffin that did it to pay for it, simple as that. I will find him and he will pay.......hopefully

Steve · « **Reply #13 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:37:58 PM »

Pfunk... on private property, no personal injury. Depeding on local laws, I doubt a crime was committed. I think you'll find that your only recourse is civil.

"Can I file suit against them or have the police come and question them?

You can file suit against onyone you want.. it's the outcome that is in doubt.

Answer to the second part. Well, you could ask the police to come speak w/ the neighbors..but again if no crime was committed(in Arizona where I work this wouldn't be a crime)
I doubt the locals would be able to help.

SOB · « **Reply #14 on:** March 07, 2003, 05:11:46 PM »

Heh, When I first moved out of the house, I moved in with a couple of girls in SE Portland (right off Powell over the Ross Island bridge for Portlanders). My '84 Mazda B2000 with a paint job was the nicest thing on the block, sadly enough, and within two weeks someone had broken into it. The morning after, I called the cops. They wouldn't even come out to look at it, and offered only to mail me a crime report that I could fill out and mail back.

I guess I can understand they need to prioritize, but boy was I pissed at the time! Young angst and all.

SOB