Connecticut Criminal Lawyer Blog
When people hear “evading responsibility” (Connecticut’s version of hit-and-run), they usually picture the driver who caused the crash and then sped away. But in my practice, I get a very different kind of call all the time:
“Attorney Friedman, I wasn’t even driving. I lent my car to a friend. Now the police are saying my car was in a hit-and-run. How can I be in trouble?”
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
In Connecticut, if your vehicle is involved in an accident and leaves the scene, and the actual driver can’t be identified, you, as the owner, can be charged criminally with evading responsibility.
If you’re reading this because someone told you there’s a violation of probation against you, take a breath. You’re not the first person to be in this spot, and it’s fixable with the right plan. I see VOPs all the time in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Danbury, and throughout Connecticut. The biggest mistake people make is treating a VOP like a regular criminal case or assuming it will “work itself out.” It won’t. The rules are different, the burden of proof is lower, and a judge—not a jury—decides your fate. The good news is that we can often keep you on the street, protect your job and family, and avoid having your suspended time turn into actual jail time.
