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Trooper reminds drivers accidents should be reported
MILLBORO - On Sunday morning, Jan. 6, the Bath County sheriff's department received a call about a damaged vehicle that had been driven over an embankment. It had been traveling north on Route 687.
When Virginia State Trooper Johnson arrived on the scene; he found the vehicle to have damage on the driver's side, but no driver or passengers were found. Soon after he arrived, the driver came to the scene and explained what had happened.
"The woman said she swerved to miss a deer," said Johnson, "and ran off the road. The vehicle went down a bank and into the trees along the road."
The driver was not injured and was not charged. Damage to her vehicle was estimated to be around $2,000.
The accident occurred on Saturday evening around 9:30 p.m., and afterward, the woman called her fiance to take her home. Though she left the scene of the accident and failed to report it, it is not considered a violation, according to Johnson. But he stressed Virginia drivers are required by law to report accidents as soon as possible, within 24 hours.
"If the damage is over $1,000," he said, "or there is property damage involved, the accident needs to be reported. The woman involved said she didn't know she had to report it. But she did."
To report an accident call the Bath County Sheriff's Department at (540) 839-2375 or the Highland County Sheriff's office at (540) 468-2210.
The Virginia State Police can be reached at (800) 542- 5959. Virginia cellular users can dial #77 to reach the state police directly.
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