ABC15 reported that the Tempe Police Department is asking for the public's help identifying a vehicle of interest connected to a hit-and-run that seriously injured a minor. No further details about the collision have been released in that report, and no one has been identified or charged.
When the driver who caused a serious injury flees and is never identified, an injury claim does not automatically end. Arizona requires every driver involved in a collision causing injury to stop, remain at the scene, and give information; leaving is a felony under A.R.S. § 28-661, and that criminal case is separate from any civil claim for money damages. If the vehicle is later identified, the civil claim proceeds against the driver and the driver's liability insurer. If it is never identified, uninsured motorist coverage is usually the path forward, because Arizona treats an unidentified hit-and-run driver as an uninsured motorist. That coverage can be reached under the injured person's own auto policy, under a resident family member's policy, or under the policy on a vehicle the person occupied. Most policies impose their own short notice and cooperation requirements, so notifying the insurer in writing early matters as much as the two-year filing deadline in A.R.S. § 12-542.
What A.R.S. § 28-661 Requires, and Why It Matters Civilly
A.R.S. § 28-661 makes it a felony for a driver to leave the scene of a collision that results in injury without stopping, providing identifying information, and rendering reasonable assistance. Police departments publicize vehicle descriptions and request tips because identifying the vehicle is often the only route to identifying the driver.
A criminal charge is not required for a civil claim, and a criminal conviction does not by itself pay medical bills. The two proceed on separate tracks with different standards of proof. If the driver is identified through the investigation, the civil claim can be brought against that person regardless of how the criminal case is resolved. If the driver is never identified, the civil claim shifts to insurance coverage rather than to a named person.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage and the Deadlines That Apply
Uninsured motorist coverage is the mechanism Arizona injury victims most often rely on after a hit-and-run. Check every policy in the household, not just one: the injured person's policy, a parent's or spouse's policy if they live in the same home, and the policy covering any vehicle the injured person was in. Coverage can stack in some circumstances, and the total available is frequently larger than a family first assumes.
Two clocks run at once. The civil filing deadline under A.R.S. § 12-542 is generally two years, and Arizona law pauses that deadline for a person who is a minor when injured until that person reaches adulthood. The insurance policy's own notice requirement is often much shorter and is not paused. Report the loss to every potentially applicable insurer promptly and in writing.
If a claim ever involves a city, county, or state entity, a written notice of claim must be served within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01. That deadline is unforgiving, so it should be evaluated early rather than assumed inapplicable.
Practical Steps While Police Search for the Vehicle
Get the police report number and request a copy as soon as it is available; insurers will ask for it. Keep every medical record and bill, including emergency transport and follow-up visits, and keep treating without gaps, because gaps in care are the most common argument insurers use to reduce a serious injury claim.
Ask nearby businesses and residents about video. Camera systems often overwrite footage within days or weeks, and a preservation request sent quickly can be the difference between identifying a vehicle and not. Write down what you remember now, while it is fresh.
Expect the insurer to raise comparative fault. Under A.R.S. § 12-2505, Arizona applies pure comparative fault, which reduces recovery by the injured person's percentage of fault but does not bar it. Even a disputed claim can recover. Give recorded statements only after you understand what the policy requires and what is being asked.
If you or a family member was hurt in a hit-and-run in Tempe, our Tempe car accident attorneys can review the available coverage and the deadlines that apply.