HIT-AND-RUN CASES Hit-and-run cases include two types: y y death or injury to individuals and damage to other vehicles or property.

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Now, it is important to note that we classify a hit and run case under a criminal case because the law states it. Under the Mauritius criminal act, several sections identify situations arising from a hit and run case as being punishable by the law. Here we have 2 of the several sections in the criminal act that condemns involuntaryhomicide ( i.e. death or injury to individuals) and damage to other vehicles or property as just mentioned before. From this point, we can say that it is a crime and thus we ha a crime scene. ve The crime scene The usual types of physical evidence found at the scene are paint chips or scrapings, glass, pieces of headlamps or plastic reflectors, and pieces from the grillwork of the vehicle. Also, the impact from the crash may throw certain items some distance from the vehicle and loose or broken parts still attached to the hit-and-run vehicle may subsequently fall off at considerable distance from the scene. These considerations make a search of a greater area important in thes cases. These e are collected by the SOCO and sent to the FSL for analysis. The crime scene manager is usually a police sergeant. The hit-and-run crime scene often has a factor not present at other scenes: traffic. Pressure to complete the investigation more quickly may be felt especially if the scene is at a busy intersection. The challenge for such cases is not allowing time considerations to deter the investigation Usually the traffic should be . released within 1h or so to prevent road congestions, howev for serious crimes, a diversion is possible. er Overall crime scene photos are taken as well as photographs from different views. This is done by police photographers. Close-up photographs of the victim as well as of items of physical evidence must be taken. If the crime occurred at night, portable lighting are brought in so that the area is adequately lit. The scene is examined for specific damage to the unknown vehicle. Broken parts of the vehicleare collected for possible physical matching. In cer tain cases, the vehicle s make and sometimes the model can be determined by these parts. This information may be helpful if the investigator contacts automobile repair body shops or parts stores to determine if anyone recently came in to have a vehicle re paired. Slide 6 shows how detailed photographs are taken from different angles

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Skid marks The area is examined for tire impressions and particularly forskid marks, which can be used to determine the direction and speed of the suspect vehicle andtherefore are important in the case. The speed of the suspect vehicle at the time of impact is sometimes at issue. Based upon factors such as the length of the mark and the coefficient of friction of the road surface, an approximation of the speed at which the suspect vehicle traveled may be calculated. The speed is usually calculated by the police themselves based on scale tables. Preservation is achieved by photography and casting selected points showing characteristic marks or wear. When photographing, a scale is placed across the track and another along one side of it. Casting is done in the same way as for foot impressions Investigations involving motor vehicles may also occur in such cases. When a body is found on the scene Trace items of evidence present on the victim s body are also important. Care must betaken when moving the deceased so as not to lose valuable trace evidence. When thedeceased is brought to the morgue, clothing should be carefully searched for paint, glass,and other parts from the suspect s vehicle. These items should be packaged, tagged, andsubmitted to the crime laboratory for examination. If the victim was on a bicycle or motorcycle, it should be carefully examined. Various types of trace evidence, such as paint, may be present that can be used to tie the suspect vehicle to the crime. Lights from the victim s vehicle should be recovered and submitted to the laboratory to determine if theywere operational and whether they were on or off. Clumps of soil or dirt found atthe scene should be documented and collected. These can be compared with dirt found onthe undercarriage of the suspect s vehicle and may demonstrate a connection. Occasionally, the force of impact is so great that impressions from the vehicle are mad on the victim s e body or clothing. Such evidence should be photographed and preserved for later comparison As part of the autopsy procedure, specimens of the victim s blood and hair should be collected for later testing. A toxicological sample of blood sh ould be taken to determine whether the victim was under the influence of alcohol or other drugs and for determining blood type. Clothing, as mentioned before, should be retained for fabric and fiber exemplars in addition to examining for patterns and other traces present. Paint chips Paint chips are especially important items of physical evidence. If theyare sufficiently large chips, it is possible to fit them physically into the vehicle in jigsawpuzzle fashion. Paint will, at a minimum, be

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useful to determine the color of the hit-and run vehicle, and in some instances the make of the vehicle can be determined through laboratory examination. Further, physical and chemical comparisons of paint recovered at the scene can sometimes be made with that fromthe suspect s vehicle. These are collected by the SOCO and sent for analysis to the FSL. Glass The search should not be limited to the point of impact, since headlight glass may be dropped off at some distance away as the car leaves the crime scene. Gl ss from different locations should be kept in a different containers. All glass are collected because more than one type may be present. In addition, if just a few representative samples are saved, individual pieces that could be physically matched with gl ass remaining in the headlight shell of the suspected vehicle may be overlooked. Small glass fragments are placed in paper bindles, then in coin envelopes, pill boxes, or film cans which can be marked and completely sealed. Large glass fragments are placedin boxes. Separate individual pieces with cotton or tissue to prevent breakage and damaged edges during shipment. Seal and mark the box containing them. They may yield information about the direction and speed of a vehicle and the sequence of events Headlight and taillight As part of the investigation of vehicle accidents, it may be of importance to determine whether or not a headlight or taillight was illuminated at the time the light was broken. Recovery of the filaments is of primary importance. These are quite small and their location may require a careful search. If recovered, they are placed in a paper bindle or a small pill box sealed with tape. Whether or not the large filaments are located, all remaining parts of the lamp socket, glass envelope, or sealed beam headlight unit are wrapped in paper and saved for Laboratory study. Moving the vehicle Once the suspected vehicle is found it should be taken off the road to a nearby place for examination. When the vehicle is first found, if any evidence or obviously damaged areas are notedthat might be lost in moving the vehicle to a garage, then they are first collected. If the owner of the vehicle claims that the car had been stolen, fingerprint examination isespecially important to help prove or disprove this contention. The exterior of the vehicle are thoroughly searched, including the undercarriage. The vehicle is usually moved to the police station where it is placedon a hydraulic lift to facilitate this examination. Evidence such as hair, blood, skin, and fabric and fiber evidence may be located there. Specimens of grease and dirt should becollected and a search made for hairs and blood. Headlamps and tail lights should be examined to determine whether they work and, if possible, the should be sent to y the laboratory. Examination of the filament can determine if the lights were on or offat the time of
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impact. Broken headlamp lenses and signal light reflectors should be removedfor comparison with evidence collected at the scene. Sometimes it is possible to make a physical match with these items. If the suspect driver is apprehended soon after the hit and-run incident, a blood sample should be obtained. The sample should be submittedto the laboratory for testing for alcohol or other d rugs to determine if the suspect was under the influence. The police sergeant usually also has to note down information from eyewitnesses. Important marks on the crime scene, such as position of a body, are usually drawn in paint by the police sergeant himself. For minor crimes, the marks are drawn in chalk. Slide 14 gives an overview of how the overall case goes on; from the moment the FOA gets to the vehicle on spot, how the crime scene manager controls the crime scene, the different elements of th e crime that are analysed to give a hypothesis which finally leads to solving of the case.
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