On there, I am Rick (Canada...CR)
Looking for some CR advice on following incident. Thanks for your help!
This past March, driving towards Jaco from Orotina, down a hill slowing down, signalling to turn left, looked in rear view mirror all traffic slowing....approaching a soda, slower looking for a parking spot and then turn in. Felt a thud, heard a noise. Parked got out and saw a motorcyclist laying in middle of road. He obviously had slowed down too wherever he was in traffic but decided to pass everybody. Called INS . Ppl helped him and called transit police. Wife and I stayed at our vehicle and made ourselves available. Two levels of transit police arrived and I gave my statement. A Jaco lawyer saw it and offered up his business card....only as witness to verify I had my left turn signal on. Received a...citation?...no fine attached. No damage to his bike other than rubber knob at end of bars was torn. I took pics of scene, his bike and so on. He lay on road like he was dying yelling something to me. After two ambulances showed up and helped him, he walked with a little assistance favouring arm into back of one. I had 10 days to file a declaration. Told to go to San Mateo, hired a translator for 3hour trip each way. San Mateo courthouse said go to Jaco. Went to Jaco. Presented traffic police document. They have a court-appointed translator...Ughh!!!paid a lot of money to bring this person down for a whole day. Anyways filed our declaration just days before we returned to BC. Jaco court said so minor probably nothing will come of it. Last week got email to show up for Jaco court hearing July 10. Contacted my CR lawyer and asked for a delay until November. Court came back and said he is not recognized as he was not with me when I submitted declaration???. This is a traffic court, not criminal. It would cost me me 3-5000 to go down for two weeks....try to find out what is going on and how to tackle it. Just wondering what would be the worst case scenario if I didn't go back down on July 10. Just don't know where to turn. Any help would be appreciated. I know it has the making of a reality show, right? Cheers....Rick