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Indiana criminal charge

Duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing in Indiana

Current through 2026 Indiana legislative session

Duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing is a criminal offense under Indiana law, defined by Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1. Its classification is not fixed: Indiana 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 Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1.

What is the penalty for duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing in Indiana?

Penalties for Duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prisonup to 180 days (Leaving the scene of an accident — base offense — An operator knowingly or intentionally fails to comply with the duties in subsection (a).)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-3-3
Fineup to $1,000 (Leaving the scene of an accident — base offense — An operator knowingly or intentionally fails to comply with the duties in subsection (a).)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-3-3
Jail / prisonup to 1 year (Leaving the scene of an accident — bodily injury — The accident results in bodily injury to another person.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-3-2
Fineup to $5,000 (Leaving the scene of an accident — bodily injury — The accident results in bodily injury to another person.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-3-2
Jail / prison6 months to 30 months (Leaving the scene of an accident — moderate/serious bodily injury or prior conviction — The accident results in moderate or serious bodily injury to another person, or the operator had a qualifying prior conviction under IC 9-30-10-4(a) within the preceding five years.; fixed term; advisory sentence 1 year; court may enter judgment of conviction as a Class A misdemeanor in limited circumstances (IC 35-50-2-7(c)))presumptiveInd. Code § 35-50-2-7
Fineup to $10,000 (Leaving the scene of an accident — moderate/serious bodily injury or prior conviction — The accident results in moderate or serious bodily injury to another person, or the operator had a qualifying prior conviction under IC 9-30-10-4(a) within the preceding five years.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-2-7
Jail / prison2 years to 12 years (Leaving the scene of an accident — death or catastrophic injury — The accident results in the death or catastrophic injury of another person.; fixed term; advisory sentence 6 years)presumptiveInd. Code § 35-50-2-5.5
Fineup to $10,000 (Leaving the scene of an accident — death or catastrophic injury — The accident results in the death or catastrophic injury of another person.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-2-5.5
Jail / prison3 years to 16 years (Leaving the scene of an accident — during/after OWI causing serious bodily injury or death — The operator knowingly or intentionally fails to stop or comply with subsection (a) during or after committing operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury or death/catastrophic injury.; fixed term; advisory sentence 9 years)presumptiveInd. Code § 35-50-2-5
Fineup to $10,000 (Leaving the scene of an accident — during/after OWI causing serious bodily injury or death — The operator knowingly or intentionally fails to stop or comply with subsection (a) during or after committing operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury or death/catastrophic injury.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-2-5

Applies to current.

How is duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing classified in Indiana?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Leaving the scene of an accident — base offenseClass B MisdemeanorAn operator knowingly or intentionally fails to comply with the duties in subsection (a).Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)
Leaving the scene of an accident — bodily injuryClass A MisdemeanorThe accident results in bodily injury to another person.Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)
Leaving the scene of an accident — moderate/serious bodily injury or prior convictionLevel 6 FelonyThe accident results in moderate or serious bodily injury to another person, or the operator had a qualifying prior conviction under IC 9-30-10-4(a) within the preceding five years.Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)
Leaving the scene of an accident — death or catastrophic injuryLevel 4 FelonyThe accident results in the death or catastrophic injury of another person.Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)
Leaving the scene of an accident — during/after OWI causing serious bodily injury or deathLevel 3 FelonyThe operator knowingly or intentionally fails to stop or comply with subsection (a) during or after committing operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury or death/catastrophic injury.Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)

Common questions about duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing in Indiana

Is duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing a felony or a misdemeanor in Indiana?

It depends on the circumstances: duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing ranges from a Class B Misdemeanor to a Level 3 Felony in Indiana under Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1.

Leaving the scene of an accident — base offense: Class B Misdemeanor (Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)) · Leaving the scene of an accident — bodily injury: Class A Misdemeanor (Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)) · Leaving the scene of an accident — moderate/serious bodily injury or prior conviction: Level 6 Felony (Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)) · Leaving the scene of an accident — death or catastrophic injury: Level 4 Felony (Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b)) · Leaving the scene of an accident — during/after OWI causing serious bodily injury or death: Level 3 Felony (Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1(b))

What are the penalties for duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing in Indiana?

Penalties for duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing in Indiana depend on how it is classified — from a Class B Misdemeanor up to a Level 3 Felony — with the ranges set by Ind. Code § 35-50-3-3, Ind. Code § 35-50-3-2, Ind. Code § 35-50-2-7, Ind. Code § 35-50-2-5.5 and Ind. Code § 35-50-2-5; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Indiana statute covers duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing?

Duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing is governed by Ind. Code § 9-26-1-1.1 (Duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing).

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.