Police are looking for a woman in a stolen vehicle after she allegedly hit a cab driver with his own cab and forcefully yanked another driver from his car after a crash, according to police sources. The incredible series of events began when a woman in downtown Las Vegas hailed a cab who drove her to a point near Rancho Drive and Decatur Boulevard. The cab driver says that he and the woman got into an argument and he pulled over, stepping out of the vehicle. She then allegedly jumped into the driver's seat and sped away, hitting the cab driver in the process. He claims that she ran into him intentionally. The woman drove the cab to Cheyenne Avenue and turned west according to police. At the intersection with Jones Boulevard, she ran a red light and collided with another car. When a passerby driving a Chevrolet Aveo stopped to help, she allegedly yanked that driver from his vehicle and drove off in it. The cab driver's injuries are not considered life-threatening. There is no word on whether anyone else was injured during the crash or hijacking.
CRIMINAL VS. CIVIL PENALTIES
It is very important when considering a situation such as this one to distinguish between criminal charges and penalties and civil lawsuits and possible damage awards. Many people are confused by civil and criminal cases and the difference between the two. Generally speaking, a criminal case is brought by a prosecuting attorney hired by the state to protect public interest. People are charged with crimes by a representative of the people of the state, not by an individual who may have been harmed. Criminal charges, for the most part, result in fines, jail time and other penalties designed to punish the person who committed the acts. Civil cases, on the other hand, are brought by individuals who have actually suffered damage from the action of another person. This type of case is filed in a different court and heard by a different judge. The result may be an award of monetary compensation to the victim.
Those who are injured in an accident should think about a civil lawsuit regardless of whether the person is charged with a crime. A Las Vegas car accident lawyer at High Stakes Injury Law may be able to help you if you have been the victim of a crash. Give them a call today.