Practice Area
Pennsylvania Hit and Run Lawyer.
Leaving the scene of an accident in PA can be a summary offense or a state-prison felony — the line turns on injury, knowledge, and how quickly you return. We defend every level of 75 Pa.C.S. §§ 3742–3745.
Hit and run charges in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania treats leaving the scene of an accident as a graduated series of offenses. Bump a parked car and drive off, and you are looking at a summary § 3745. Leave a crash that injured someone, and you are facing a felony under § 3742 with a mandatory 1-year license suspension on top of the criminal case.
Prosecutors in Cumberland, Dauphin, York, and Adams counties file these cases aggressively — especially when the driver was later identified through camera footage, paint transfer, or a witness plate read. Early defense matters: what you say in the first police contact often decides whether a case stays a summary offense or gets charged as a felony.
If your case also involves a DUI, see our PA DUI accident and injury guide — leaving the scene of a DUI-related crash is one of the most heavily-penalized combinations in Pennsylvania law.
§ 3742 — Accident involving death or personal injury
Misdemeanor of the first degree by default (up to 5 years). Felony of the third degree if serious bodily injury (90-day mandatory minimum, $1,000 fine). Felony of the second degree if death (3-year mandatory minimum, up to 10 years, $2,500 fine). Mandatory 1-year license suspension on conviction.
§ 3743 — Accident involving damage to attended vehicle or property
Misdemeanor of the third degree. Up to 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
§ 3744 — Duty to give information and render aid
Summary offense. Failing to identify yourself, produce license/registration, or render aid at the scene. Charged alongside § 3742 or § 3743 in most prosecutions.
§ 3745 — Accident involving damage to unattended vehicle or property
Summary offense for hitting a parked car or roadside property and leaving without leaving a note or contacting the owner/police.
Defense strategy
How PA hit and run cases get defended.
Lack of knowledge
Prosecution must prove you knew or should have known an accident occurred — low-impact, dark-conditions, and audible-alert cases are often defensible on this element alone.
Prompt return to scene
Drivers who return within a reasonable time and identify themselves generally avoid the leaving-the-scene charge — timing, distance, and intent matter.
Identification defense
Vehicle-based prosecutions (paint transfer, plate reads, tips) require the Commonwealth to prove you were the driver — not just the owner.
Necessity or emergency
Leaving to seek help, avoid ongoing danger, or protect a passenger can be a defense — documented and credible reasons matter.
Reduction to summary charge
Negotiating a felony § 3742 down to a summary § 3743 or § 3744 avoids state prison exposure and preserves ARD-style dispositions where available.
Constitutional and procedural
Suppression of statements taken without Miranda, challenges to arrest without probable cause, and speedy-trial motions apply the same as any felony case.
Related pages: PA license points & suspension guide · reckless driving in PA · DUI accident & injury · PA summary appeals.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Common questions about Pennsylvania hit and run charges — statute, penalties, license suspension, and defense strategy.
It depends on the statute and the injuries. Leaving the scene of an accident involving injury under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3742 is a misdemeanor of the first degree by default. It becomes a felony of the third degree if the victim suffers serious bodily injury, and a felony of the second degree if the victim dies. Leaving the scene of an accident involving damage to an attended vehicle or property under § 3743 is a misdemeanor of the third degree. Failing to stop and give information or render aid under § 3744 is typically charged as a summary offense alongside § 3742 or § 3743.
Related pages
Summary appeals — Harrisburg
Appeal an MDJ guilty verdict to Common Pleas. 30-day deadline.
PA points & suspension guide
Point values, 6/11-point thresholds, and how points come off.
Reckless driving (§ 3736)
6 points, jail exposure, CDL impact — Adams, York, Cumberland & Dauphin.
DUI defense
When a traffic stop turns into a DUI arrest.
Criminal defense
Reckless driving, fleeing, and related charges.
Areas we serve
Where we appear across Central PA.
Free consultation
Sources & statutory citations
- [1]75 Pa.C.S. § 3742 — Accidents involving death or personal injury — M1 base; F3 with SBI (90-day min); F2 with death (3-year min).
- [2]75 Pa.C.S. § 3743 — Accidents involving damage to attended vehicle or property — M3.
- [3]75 Pa.C.S. § 3746 — Immediate notice of accident to police department.
- [4]18 Pa.C.S. § 1103 — Sentences for felonies — F1 up to 20 years, F2 up to 10, F3 up to 7.
- [5]18 Pa.C.S. § 1104 — Sentences for misdemeanors — M1 up to 5, M2 up to 2, M3 up to 1.
Statutes are summarized for public reference. Confirm current text at palegis.us. This page is attorney advertising, not legal advice.
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