Q: I believed my neighbors where telling the truth regarding me hitting a mail box but I’m realizing they lied?
I was unloading a uhaul, I didn’t consider my blood sugar. I went to move the Uhaul in front off townhomes and out of the alley, my neighbors chased me, I freaked out, I saw one of them wave me down. Came to my senses and stoped to talk to him. They told me, didn’t I notice I hit a mail box, I had no reason to doubt them, I was in a huge uhaul, so I told them Ill call HOA to make sure it gets taken care of, I had left my ID in my car, so I told them to get the info off the truck, it’s registered to me. I think I was embarrassed so I took the truck around the corner so they couldn’t see me and called HOA it was closed but I referred the HOA emergency line. The guy told me this line was only for emergencies. I thought what constitutes an HOA emergency, that people wouldn’t call 911 instead, the guy told me not to worry about he would report it so I picked up my car and now I’m being charged for fleeing an accident. I don’t think diabetes is a defense, but that’s where I sit.
A: You have described an incident but you have not asked a question. It appears you have three paths moving forward: 1) pay the fine and take the conviction as is - simplest and quickest resolution which likely has the most significant impact on your insurance (you may want to contact your insurance agent for an estimate of the impact so you can make an intelligent assessment of the costs of your options); 2) go to court and attempt to negotiate with the prosecutor yourself, explain the situation, and see if you are offered a reduced charge; or 3) retain an attorney to negotiate on your behalf - easiest and most likely to result in the most significant reduction in your charge. There are no guarantees that an attorney will be able to obtain a better deal for you, but it is possible and it also ensures you are fully informed regarding your rights and the potential consequences of any plea that you enter into. The prosecutor does not have to explain the law or your rights to you.
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