Unlicensed Jacksonville driver pleads no contest in hit-and-run death of scooter driver, gets 20 years in prison

A Jacksonville man who did not have a driver’s license when he hit and killed a man on a scooter chose not to fight the charges and was sentenced last month to 20 years in prison. The man pleaded no contest to leaving the scene of an accident causing death and driving without a license causing death or serious bodily injury, according to a report in the Florida Times-Union. Leaving the scene of an accident causing death is a first-degree felony with a maximum penalty of 30 years in state prison and a minimum mandatory sentence of four years in state prison. The charge of driving without a license causing death or serious bodily injury is a third-degree felony with a maximum penalty of five years in state prison.

The man is accused of hitting the scooter driver from behind about 12:35 a.m. one early morning in November, the newspaper reported. The driver did not stop at the scene, but did call police later that day and was subsequently arrested, the newspaper reported. The driver ended up pleading no contest to the charges in this Jacksonville Traffic Case. A no contest plea means the person is no longer going to fight the charges, but it is essentially a guilty plea. The only difference is the person is not admitting guilt. It’s essentially a plea where the person decides it is in his or her best interest to end the case, but they are not admitting wrongdoing. Sometimes that happens in cases where a person is being sued civilly, which can happen in automobile accident cases. But as much as it might be beneficial in a civil case, it could backfire just as hard when it comes to sentencing in Jacksonville Felony Cases.

There are numerous factors judges take into consideration when they are issuing sentences in Jacksonville Felony Cases. One of those is whether the defendant is remorseful and accepts responsibility for his or her actions. That can be especially true in a Jacksonville Traffic Case, where accidents happen and someone does not have to be a career criminal to find themselves in this type of situation. Even calling the police hours after the crash didn’t help the defendant avoid a lengthy sentence in this Jacksonville Felony Case. Our Jacksonville Traffic Attorney represents people accused of all types of moving violations – from speeding tickets or up to first-degree felonies. Or Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney will thoroughly review the ticket or charges against you and advise you of the best path forward.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Jacksonville Felony Crimes Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.