It was Nardella who told police that Coffay had been to two parties before the car crash and that he was drinking and driving. Nardella also told police that Coffay immediately ran into the woods following crashing his vehicle in Rockville. Police found Coffay a few hours after the crash at his family’s home in Rockville. According to police, Coffay’s eyes were watery and bloodshot, and he smelled of alcohol. Coffay was arrested and charged with failure to immediately return and remain at the scene of an accident involving bodily injury and other alcohol-related charges. Coffay is reported to have said “They [the passengers] were all fine when I left.”
As a Washington, DC DUI defense attorney, prospective clients who have been charged with a DUI that involved an accident often contact me to ask what they should do. They want to know how much trouble they are in and if there is anything that can be done to fight the charges. While it is true that leaving the scene of a personal injury while intoxicated is an additional charge, there is still a lot that can be done to fight the charges.
These are serious cases and you will want to speak with an attorney who regularly handles DUI and DWI cases in Washington, DC as soon as possible. If the police try to question you about anything, it is probably best to politely tell the officers that you will not answer any questions without an attorney present.
