Washington criminal charge
Duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property in Washington
Duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property is a criminal offense under Washington law, defined by RCW 46.52.020. Its classification is not fixed: Washington assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by RCW 46.52.020.
What is the penalty for duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property in Washington?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 10 years (Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting in death — A driver involved in an accident resulting in death fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3).; statutory maximum (RCW 9A.20.021(1)(b)); the sentence actually imposed is set by the Sentencing Reform Act standard range (RCW 9.94A.510) from the offense's seriousness level and the defendant's offender score) | discretionary | RCW 9A.20.021 |
| Fine | up to $20,000 (Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting in death — A driver involved in an accident resulting in death fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3).; statutory maximum, adult offenders (RCW 9A.20.021(5)); unless a different maximum is specifically established by statute) | discretionary | RCW 9A.20.021 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting in injury — A driver involved in an accident resulting in injury fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3).; statutory maximum (RCW 9A.20.021(1)(c)); the sentence actually imposed is set by the Sentencing Reform Act standard range (RCW 9.94A.510) from the offense's seriousness level and the defendant's offender score) | discretionary | RCW 9A.20.021 |
| Fine | up to $10,000 (Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting in injury — A driver involved in an accident resulting in injury fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3).; statutory maximum, adult offenders (RCW 9A.20.021(5)); unless a different maximum is specifically established by statute) | discretionary | RCW 9A.20.021 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (Failure to stop/comply — accident involving striking body of deceased person — A driver involved in an accident involving striking the body of a deceased person fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3).; statutory maximum, county jail (RCW 9A.20.021(2)); offenses outside Title 9A carry the same default under RCW 9.92.020 unless the offense fixes its own penalty) | discretionary | RCW 9A.20.021 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Failure to stop/comply — accident involving striking body of deceased person — A driver involved in an accident involving striking the body of a deceased person fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3).; statutory maximum, adult offenders (RCW 9A.20.021(5))) | discretionary | RCW 9A.20.021 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting only in property/vehicle damage — A driver involved in an accident resulting only in damage to an attended vehicle or other property fails to stop or comply with the requirements of subsection (3).; statutory maximum, county jail (RCW 9A.20.021(2)); offenses outside Title 9A carry the same default under RCW 9.92.020 unless the offense fixes its own penalty) | discretionary | RCW 9A.20.021 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting only in property/vehicle damage — A driver involved in an accident resulting only in damage to an attended vehicle or other property fails to stop or comply with the requirements of subsection (3).; statutory maximum, adult offenders (RCW 9A.20.021(5))) | discretionary | RCW 9A.20.021 |
Applies to crimes committed on or after July 1, 1984.
How is duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property classified in Washington?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting in death | Class B Felony | A driver involved in an accident resulting in death fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3). | RCW 46.52.020(4)(a) |
| Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting in injury | Class C Felony | A driver involved in an accident resulting in injury fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3). | RCW 46.52.020(4)(b) |
| Failure to stop/comply — accident involving striking body of deceased person | Gross Misdemeanor | A driver involved in an accident involving striking the body of a deceased person fails to stop or comply with the information/assistance requirements of subsection (3). | RCW 46.52.020(4)(c) |
| Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting only in property/vehicle damage | Gross Misdemeanor | A driver involved in an accident resulting only in damage to an attended vehicle or other property fails to stop or comply with the requirements of subsection (3). | RCW 46.52.020(5) |
Common questions about duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property in Washington
Is duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?
It depends on the circumstances: duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property ranges from a Gross Misdemeanor to a Class B Felony in Washington under RCW 46.52.020.
Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting in death: Class B Felony (RCW 46.52.020(4)(a)) · Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting in injury: Class C Felony (RCW 46.52.020(4)(b)) · Failure to stop/comply — accident involving striking body of deceased person: Gross Misdemeanor (RCW 46.52.020(4)(c)) · Failure to stop/comply — accident resulting only in property/vehicle damage: Gross Misdemeanor (RCW 46.52.020(5))
What are the penalties for duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property in Washington?
Penalties for duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property in Washington depend on how it is classified — from a Gross Misdemeanor up to a Class B Felony — with the ranges set by RCW 9A.20.021; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Washington statute covers duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property?
Duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property is governed by RCW 46.52.020 (Duty in case of personal injury or death or damage to attended vehicle or other property—Penalties).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.