2135.12 - Failure to stop after an accident or collision.
(a) Whenever a vehicle is involved in an accident or collision with either persons or property (including personal or real property) upon any public street or highway, or upon any public or private property, the operator of any such vehicle who has knowledge of the accident or collision shall do all of the following:
(1) Immediately stop the motor vehicle at the scene of the accident or collision.
(2) Remain at the scene of the accident or collision, until all requirements of this section have been met.
(3) Provide the operator's name and address to all other persons or operators involved in the accident or collision.
(4) If the operator of the vehicle involved in the accident or collision is not the owner of that vehicle, then the operator shall provide the name and address of the owner of the vehicle to all other persons or operators involved in the accident or collision.
(5) Upon request, the operator of the vehicle involved in the accident or collision shall exhibit or display the operator's driver's license or commercial drivers license to all other persons or operators involved in the accident or collision.
(6) The operator of the motor vehicle involved in the accident or collision shall provide the registration number of the operated vehicle involved in the accident or collision to all other persons or operators involved in the accident or collision.
(7) If any other person or operator involved in the accident or collision is unable to comprehend and record the information required to be provided by this section, then the other person or operator involved in the accident or collision shall immediately notify the Columbus Division of Police, or the nearest police authority, concerning the fact and location of the accident or collision, and such other person or operator making the notification shall remain at the scene of the accident or collision until a law enforcement officer arrives at the scene, unless the person or operator notifying the appropriate law enforcement agency is removed from the scene of the accident or collision by an emergency vehicle operated by a political subdivision.
(8) Upon request, provide the name and address of any business entity that provides an insurance liability policy or bond for the operator to be in compliance with the State Financial Responsibility law.
(9) The operator of a motor vehicle involved in an accident or collision shall provide all of the information required by this section to any law enforcement officer at the scene of such accident or collision.
(10) If the accident or collision is with an unoccupied or unattended vehicle, then the operator of the vehicle that was involved in the accident or collision shall remain at the scene of such accident or collision until the operator has securely attached the information required to be provided by this section, in writing, to a conspicuous place in or on the unoccupied or unattended motor vehicle, and if available, a telephone number where the operator may be reached.
(11) If the damaged property involved in the accident or collision is not another vehicle, then the operator shall take all reasonable steps to locate the owner or person in charge of such property, including remaining at the scene of the accident or collision for a minimum of thirty (30) minutes, unless transported for medical treatment. Once the owner or person in charge of such property is located, the operator shall provide the owner/person in charge with the information required in paragraphs (3), (4), (6), and (8) of division (a) of this section. If the owner or person in charge of such property is not present and cannot be located to provide the information required by this section, then the operator of the vehicle involved in such accident or collision shall notify the Columbus Division of Police, Accident Investigation Squad, within twenty-four (24) hours, and in writing, of all information required by this section to be provided to the owner or person in control of the damaged property, together with the date, time, and location of the accident or collision.
(b) (1)
Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates division (a) of this section is guilty of failure to stop after an accident, a misdemeanor of the first degree. The court, in addition to any other penalties provided by law, shall impose upon the offender a class five suspension of the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privileges from the range specified in division (A)(5) of Section 4510.02 of the Ohio Revised Code. No judge shall suspend the first six (6) months of suspension of the offender's license, permit, or privilege required by this division.
The offender shall provide the court with proof of financial responsibility as defined in Section 4509.01 of the Ohio Revised Code. If the offender fails to provide that proof of financial responsibility, then, in addition to any other penalties provided by law, the court may order restitution pursuant to Section 2929.28 of the Ohio Revised Code in an amount not exceeding five thousand ($5,000.00) dollars for any economic loss arising from an accident or collision that was the direct and proximate result of the offender's operation of the vehicle before, during, or after committing the offense for which the offender is sentenced under this section.
(2) If accident or collision in violation of this section results in serious physical harm or death to a person, failure to stop after an accident is a felony to be prosecuted under applicable state law.
(ORC 4549.02) (4549.021, 4549.03; Ord. 223-92: Ord. 2120-03 § 1 (part); Ord. No. 0196-2015, § 1, 4-27-2015)
