# Parking Lot Hit and Run



## Cort Strummer (Feb 16, 2009)

On Saturday I was doing some grocery shopping at Sobeys in Mississauga at 10th Line and Tomas st., I come out to find that someone hit my car and didnt leave a note or anything. However I do have a suspect, as I came out of the store I realized that a guy parked a couple spots down from me was checking out the back of his truck, as he noticed I was walking his way he stoped and watched me; as soon as I get to my car and realize the damage he jumps in his truck and takes off scot-free, or did he? Thankfully I had my new cell phone, a Nokia N8, so I took some pics, I got a picture of the guy driving away which also looks like it shows some damage to the back of his truck. I forgot to mention, when I came out the store he was backed into the spot, so I think he was trying to do the same when he was trying to park next to me. Because of the Holiday I have to wait till tomorrow to talk to my insurance company, I filed an accident report right after I noticed.

I am just wondering what do I do about pursuing the guy in the truck? Do I just give the insurance company all the info and pictures and they will investigate? Because after looking over my car and pictures over the last couple of days, I have realized that the damage is too high for a sedan to have done, and there would of been paint transfer on my car instead of a smudge, and after looking at the picture of the truck it looks like the left corner of the bumper is slightly bent. So I dont think I am blindly pointing a finger, and I would like him to be charged with hit and run, vandalism over $1000 and destruction of property and what ever else the cops want to throw at him.

A description of the driver:

Older white male
6'1" or so
150-160lbs slim build
white goatee
Wears a cream colored cow-boy hat

Onto the pictures:

I am on the left:









The Damage









A close up









The Suspect


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Well... 7:10 pm in the dark, in a sleet storm, three days before Christmas, two kids in the back under 4. MAC truck is coming in fast and his lights are square in my eyes. Only place to go to get NOT hit was back; flick the eyes, honk the horn and go back. BANG!

1984 K Car, no lights on, rolled behind me. The ONLY way to see her was to physically get out of my vehicle. Which I did. She was on the phone to her insurance as I walked up. The entire back hatch of my MPV was caved and twisted in (not surprising its only light metal). Her car had a dent in the fender, had to rub it to feel it.

She claimed. She was denied.

I didn't claim, in fact I got slapped as "at fault" because I was technically "backing in a lane-way"

My insurance went from $100 a month to $500 a month (my mortgage was only 220 a month sheesh)

I do not think I am alone in being bent over the proverbial wire brush by the insurance industry here in Ontario. I'm surprised the guy stuck around at all and simply did not drive on!


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## Cort Strummer (Feb 16, 2009)

he needed groceries, lol. I saw him in the store too. And that is a little different because I was in the store shopping and have the receipt with time on it and time of the pictures, so I was not in the car, and if I have read my insurance correctly in a instance like this my deductible is $0.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Not sure how you can proceed on that one. I would give the info to your insurance and let them handle it. Not sure what the cops would do. I have two stories that will curl your hair, both involve my Daughters vehicle. She has bad luck in terms of getting hit.

First incident she left her car overnight on the road in front of her bf house. Came out the next morning and the back of the car had been hit so bad it was moved almost to the next driveway, it was not driveable. She called me down and cops were there when I arrived. Make a long story short they were going to take a report and split and I told them "Looky here, whomever hit this car did not get far, I would bet anything they live right around here". So while he was finishing his report I took a drive around the hood and sure enough, about 12 houses down I see this car in the driveway with the hood curled up around the windshield. I went back and basically forced him to go knock on the door and investigate. He did, driver was a young girl that took off after her bf in a fight and destroyed both vehicles. Started crying and was charged accordingly. 

About 5-6 months after that she was on a on-ramp heading onto the highway and another car full of young, drunk teens was coming off at a high rate of speed and crossed over and took the side of her car off. The car stopped, they got out and switched drivers, looked around and then took off and left her there. She got description, license plate and a witness that was walking down the street. I arrived on scene and the OPP were there. Long story short they ran the plate and because it came back as a different color than what she told them it was, they said they could not do anything for her. I said, well they could have had the car painted 10 times and never changed the ownership to reflect that, they said too bad. I said go to the address and look at the car, it will be wrecked. They said (and get ready for this) the address was in Mississauga and they could not do that. The accident occured in Niagara Falls. It was a Saturday night, they were clearly in town at the Casino and had clearly been drinking. Common sense goes a long way.

Her insurance did not go up for either incident.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

Hey there...unfortunately...the police will probably not want to get involved...

I was in a Fortinos parking lot when an employee bumped a shopping cart into the side of my truck and left a large dent...I was sitting in my truck at the time...the guy looked at me...then ran into the store...with me chasing him...he hid in the back room while the manager intervened pointing out a sign in the parking lot stating that Fortinos was not responsible for any damage to vehicles parked in their lot...the police told me it was a civil matter on "private property"...

Another time I got a call from my kiddo at 1:30 A.M in a strained voice telling me that her mother was choking her...I drove over there as fast as I could and noticed a cop car parked in a gas station parking lot 50 yards from my ex's house...I pulled along side him and told him the situation...he turns to me and says..."Um...can you call someone else...???..."....WTF...!!!...A child is being strangled by her drunk mother and you don't want to get involved...???...

I forced him to follow me over to the house (50 yards behind his squad car)...he sat in his car while I retrieved my kiddo...the police interviewed her and instructed her to not have contact with her mother and to remain with me where it is safe...as I left for home...I checked my rear view mirror...the cop left the scene...no interviews/arrests...no nothing...I guess he had "more important" things to do...

The point is...that unless a murder or armed robbery occurred involving your vehicle...the police simply aren't interested in "getting involved"...good luck...


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## Cort Strummer (Feb 16, 2009)

from what I have heard it all depends on the cop that you deal with, and you can always try a different officer, but I thought OPP had jurisdiction all over Ontario? they are the Ontario Provincial Police. I just hope that the insurance will force an investigation.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Cort Strummer said:


> from what I have heard it all depends on the cop that you deal with, and you can always try a different officer, but I thought OPP had jurisdiction all over Ontario? they are the Ontario Provincial Police.


The short answer is this. Police typically will not get involved in the "investigation" of a traffic accident that does not invlove injuries. They know that it is purely a insurance deal and they dont really care what the outcome of that is, they have "real" crimes to solve. If the OPP would have chased down those kids that night they would have been able to nail them with several offences including most likely DUI. The thing that scares me is they could have gone on to kill somebody that night, they almost killed my Daughter. Fender benders hold zero interest for police forces.

They told us that night, "don't worry about it, you have the police report and your insurance wont go up" so they know the game inside and out.


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## Cort Strummer (Feb 16, 2009)

I just want that guy to get what is coming, one way or another...


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Might check with the store if they have surveillance cams looking out over the parking lot. Unlikely I suppose, but worth a phone call.


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## Cort Strummer (Feb 16, 2009)

Well I dont want to say too much, but the wheels are in motion. My insurance is going to contact his insurance, the police are doing their part and I think that Mr. Boyd who is 62 years old is in for a couple of surprises...


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I would have gone after the guy and told him I saw him hit and run from hitting my vehicle and did he want the police involved or did he wast to fix my car with cash or get his insurance involved. If he refused, I would call my insurance company and ask what they would suggest.


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## Cort Strummer (Feb 16, 2009)

FlipFlopFly said:


> I would have gone after the guy and told him I saw him hit and run from hitting my vehicle and did he want the police involved or did he wast to fix my car with cash or get his insurance involved. If he refused, I would call my insurance company and ask what they would suggest.


I dont think that would of turn out to well, and would of made things worse. Also by driving off as soon as I get to my car, kinda shows that he didn't want any responsibility for it...


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

My only experience with this kind of thing was a few years ago. My insurance company lost interest completely once they heard there were no injuries and no potential big claim coming. As my agent said, they won't follow up unless there is money on the line. I ended up repairing my vehicle myself, and they still tried to raise my premium because I had "reported" an accident. I switched companies soon after.


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