A Cape Coral teen is being charged with a felony for an accident she was involved in during late January. She was driving a 2011 Infiniti and struck the back of a moped in front of her. The driver of the moped was ejected from their bike. Does this sound like a felony situation? Keep reading and you may understand why it’s being charged that way.

The teen fled the scene

The teen, who was 17 years old, left the scene of the accident. The man riding the moped, identified as Kenny Roberts, was indeed injured during the crash. It is a felony in Florida to leave the scene of a crime. Leaving the scene of an auto accident when someone was injured is charged as a third-degree felony. It’s possible that the teen could have been charged as a minor but because the consequences of their actions could potentially have led to the death of someone, it seems the police are taking this case seriously.

The police found the teen in an interesting way

So how did the police find the car of the teenager? It turns out that the Florida Highway Patrol found the teen’s car at a body repair shop. In case there was any question that it was indeed the vehicle in question, the license plate for the moped was still inside the grille of the teen’s car. The police impounded the vehicle and arrested the teenager.

Keeping teens safe on the roads

Did you know that there are upwards of 750,000 teenagers licensed to drive in the state of Florida alone? Teens have little experience driving and so it’s up to the adults around them to ensure they’re driving safely. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles works hard to education teens through campaigns on the importance of not breaking the speed limit, the danger in driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, how essential it is to wear a seatbelt, and the importance of driving without distractions.

That said, it may be wise for the teen’s families to make sure they know that if they are involved in a car accident and leave the scene, they could be facing a felony. At Gilbert & Smallman, we are here to help the victims of car accidents. If you’ve been injured in a car accident then we encourage you to call us today for a free case evaluation.