Car Accident, uninsured driver

[CashCrop]

A friend was rear-ended by an uninsured driver on FM1960 the other day (North Houston area)

The driver got out an immediately stated they did not have insurance and whined that if my friend called the police, that they would take him to jail as he had unpaid warrants/tickets..

My friend, forever the nice guy, simply asked for the guy's address and phone number and address and did not call the police to make a report. He should have called the cops, as the damage was over 500.00 dollars on both cars, but again, he was just trying to be nice.

But now he is unable to contact the person despite several attempts. The man stated he would pay for the damages, but again, no police report was filed..

Any recourse??

[hwpd]

I dont think you want to hear this, but ... uhh...

[CashCrop]

So he's pretty much up sh** creek without a paddle right?

[corporal716]

Lets see the guy has warrants & tickets but no insurance. He propbaly forgot to metion that he dosen't have a license either.
Your friend should call this a learning experience and move on with live.

[CashCrop]

No he didn't forget it :D, he has a suspended license. He used this as another reason why he was going to jail. My friend is prepared to write it off, but he was asking if there was anything else.

So basically, without Law Enforcement on the scene, he has no recourse whatsoever?

I'm not convinced. How can someone drive around an uninsured vehicle, with a suspended license, and be this non-chalant about the whole thing?

I have his full name and address. I have "friends" in the TxDPS, can they do anything, supposedly he told my friend he has something called a "blue" warrant, can I call the DPS and have him picked up for this blue warrant thing?

BTW:, what the hell is a blue warrant?

[corporal716]

They get away with it becuse people like your friend want to be nice to them and don't call the cops while they have them there.
There are reasons why this guy has warrants, and its not because he is know for being responsible.

[hwpd]

his name and address that you have are probably fake or not his.

[CashCrop]

At first glance at your post Corporal, I was going reply tersly that you are being too harsh,

But I just realized, someone needs to be harsh here..

He put himself in this situation by not calling the police.

You would just have to know this guy, he's seem genuinely afraid of LEOs, something about his brother when they were kids, and now his brother is a permanent resident of one of the The State of Texas' fine correctional facilities (TDCJ).

But he doesn't break the law, he's a professional, and this guy rammed his brand new Dodge 1500 Lone Star Edition and his bumper is going to cost 700 bucks to refinish..

I would have called, hell I would have had the guy in a headlock and we would have both gotten a ride downtown...

But again, I see your point, you just don't have to be so damned elitist about it...

I mean that. "People like your friend". That's not really necessary man!

[inquiring mind]

Not a cop, but married to one.......

I really don't think he meant it that way...I think he was simply stating that people, who, like your friend, are *nice* can get the short end of the stick by being nice. I think he was simply stating it that way to differentiate your friend & people like him (nice people) from others (like me - I don't give a hoot if he's afraid of being locked up...) who would have called the police. Either way, it would most likely wind up in civil litigation, but at least there would be a police report to document the event.

[txinvestigator1]

Your friend has no recourse through Law Enforcement. Once your friend left the scene he too, left the scene of an accident. It is now a civil matter.

He could always sue the other guy, but that is probably an exercize in futility.

He could always try to get the other guy arrested on the warrants, at least for some self-satisfaction. But the guy cannot be charged with Driving without a license, or driving with a suspended license unless he is observed driving by LE, or if he is invloved in an accident where the police are called to the scene.

Unisnusred drivers are a huge problem in Texas. Houston has tons of them.

[sethg428]

There is nothing you can do. This guy sounds like a dead beat. To put it this way your friend basicly helped a the guy, screwed himself and other people. Since this guy is on the street he may cause an accident with another driver. Better to be locked up in that sence. I personally dont have sympethy for people like that.

[sethg428]

To be honest since there was no LEO at the sence or any police report filed there is nothing that your friend can do. Btw, where they any witnesses? that could possibly help but I wouldnt depend on it.

[Jynkxxie]

Ooops Hit and Run. ;D

[slim202cop]

Thanks to your friend, this guy is still out there posing a threat to every other lawful driver. I hope the repair shop sticks him good, because as soon as he found out that the other driver was driving with no insurance and warrants and agreed not to call the police, your friend became a party to his illegal actions. It's because of people like him that many criminals are still out there on the streets today. That whole "I dont want to get involved" mentality is just as bad for society as criminals themselves are.

I have no sympathy for your friend at all. Maybe next time he'll use his head and call the police and then he won't be in a mess like this.

Couldn't have been said any better!

It's people that like guy who will think nothing of running down a little child in the street and keep going without stopping to render aid. He'll continue to do things of that nature until he gets caught or killed.

Well put, DC Law!

[realpolice]

Just call the police, explain you did an exchange of information but you're insurance company told you you need a report because the guy's info is bad. We get that all the time.