KTAR News reported that Tempe Police are asking for the public's help identifying the car involved in a hit-and-run collision that left a teenager injured. According to the report, authorities believe the vehicle involved is a dark gray 2014-2016 Mazda 3, a four-door sedan. No arrest has been reported and the investigation is ongoing.
When a driver leaves the scene and is never identified, an injured person in Arizona is not automatically out of options. Uninsured motorist coverage is designed for exactly this situation; most policies treat an unidentified hit-and-run driver as an uninsured driver, and that coverage can pay for medical treatment, lost income, and pain and suffering. A household member's policy may also apply, so every policy in the home should be reviewed, not just the one on the car involved. Health insurance and MedPay can cover bills while the investigation continues. Deadlines matter in two directions: Arizona generally gives two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit under A.R.S. § 12-542, and insurance policies often require prompt notice of an uninsured motorist claim, sometimes within days. Different deadlines can apply when the injured person is a minor, so confirm the timeline with a lawyer rather than assuming.
Arizona Law Requires Drivers to Stop
Under A.R.S. § 28-661, a driver involved in a collision that results in injury or death must stop at the scene, remain there, and provide identifying information and reasonable assistance. Leaving is a felony in Arizona. That statute matters to an injury claim for two reasons. First, a criminal investigation can produce evidence you cannot obtain on your own, including surveillance footage, vehicle parts left at the scene, and repair shop records. Second, if a driver is eventually identified and charged, the conduct of fleeing can become relevant to the civil case.
A criminal charge is not required for a civil claim, and no charge is proof of anything. Nobody has been convicted in connection with this incident, and the vehicle described by police has not been confirmed as the one involved. But an open investigation is a reason to preserve evidence now, not later.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage Is Usually the Path Forward
If the driver is never located, the claim typically runs through uninsured motorist coverage. Steps that protect that claim:
- Report the collision to your own insurer promptly, even if you do not know who hit you. Late notice is one of the most common reasons uninsured motorist claims are denied.
- Gather every auto policy in the household. Coverage can stack or apply across policies depending on the terms.
- Get the police report number and request a copy once it is available. An uninsured motorist carrier will ask for it.
- Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer, including your own, before you understand what the policy requires and what it does not.
- Keep treating. Gaps in medical care are used to argue that injuries were minor, regardless of how you actually felt.
If a driver is later identified and has liability insurance, that coverage comes first, and uninsured or underinsured coverage can fill the gap if the limits are too low to cover the harm.
Fault Sharing Does Not End a Claim in Arizona
Arizona uses pure comparative fault under A.R.S. § 12-2505. If an injured person is found partly responsible, the recovery is reduced by that percentage but is not eliminated. Someone assigned 30 percent of the fault can still recover 70 percent of their damages. This matters because insurers routinely raise comparative fault in pedestrian and hit-and-run cases, arguing the injured person was in the wrong place or should have seen the vehicle. Arizona law also sets out when drivers must yield to people on foot, including at crosswalks under A.R.S. § 28-792 and elsewhere on the roadway under A.R.S. § 28-793. Do not accept an insurer's fault assessment as final; it is an opening position, not a legal ruling.
If you or a family member was hurt in a collision in this area, our Tempe car accident attorneys can explain what coverage applies and what deadlines are already running.