The week before February vacation, at around 2:30 p.m. Thomas Jenkins ’12 moved his car from Wakeman to senior parking because he had lifting for lacrosse. He parked facing the baseball field, close to the doors of the weight room. He got out of his car, went to lifting and came back to a huge scratch accompanied by a dent on the back left side of his car. There was no note, and no one came forward to accept the blame. The only leads are that it was a smaller sized white car.
“If I could speak to the person who did this, I would ask them why would they just leave if they blatantly hit my car, or at least leave me some sort of information so I should contact them,” Jenkins said.
This is the first hit-and-run that Assistant Principal Karen Morgan has heard of thus far. She is disappointed in the lack of responsibility shown by the car that hit Jenkins’.
“It is illegal and you can be arrested,” Morgan said.
She explains that all they have to do is leave a note with contact information and deal with the issue right away because “when a problem is small it is easier to deal with.”
The problem of hit-and-runs in the Staples parking lot could be solved if there were cameras. However, Morgan explained that although this is an option, it is not likely based on cost.
The issue of hit-and-runs is ubiquitous. Charlotte Feinstein ’12 was at a concert and had left her car parked at the Westport train station. When she arrived back to her car, there was a large dent and because the alarm had gone off for so long the car battery as dead.
“It was really rude [of the person who hit my car], and my parents wouldn’t pay for it. It is such a bad situation,” Feinstein said.
Jenkins is also upset about the monetary issues of a hit-and run.
“Instead of the other person’s insurance company paying for these damages, I have to pay even though I didn’t do anything,” he said.
Many students are not aware of the legal implications of leaving the scene of an accident. According to the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA), if someone operating a motor vehicle is knowingly involved in an accident that causes physical injury or property damage and leaves the site of the accident, he or she is subject to up to one year in prison, a fine of $75 to $600 or both for a first violation. For following violations, a person is subject to a fine of $100 to $1000 and, or up to one year in prison. A violator is also subject to a license suspension of at least 90 days.
If ever in a situation where knowingly hitting and damaging a car, CGA recommends you take the following steps:
1. Stop
2. Give assistance
3. Give name, address and license and registration number to the property owner
4. If the car is parked and no property owner is near, it is recommended to leave a note with all the necessary information given
