I was making a left turn on a green light in the morning. A man was crossing the intersection in the crosswalk, but he did not have a walk signal, and I didn't see him. I was going between 10 - 15 mph, and he was walking very slowly. I slowed even more when I saw him in front of my car, and he seemed to slow down as well, then "bumped" into the front of my car and fell on the ground. He seemed to teeter quite a bit when he was falling, as if he were drunk or high.
I stopped the car and helped him to the curb. He was limping. I pulled my car to the median and sat with him on the curb to see if he was OK. He was rubbing his shin and seemed to be in pain. I asked him if he wanted to go to a doctor or a hospital and he said no. He told me he was looking for work and asked me if I could give him some money.
A witness stopped his truck and gave me his card, saying he saw the whole thing and would be able to tell the police or whoever what he saw. He was in a rush, and had to leave.
Another man drove by who had not seen the accident, and asked the man on the ground if he was OK. He said he was, so the other man drove away.
I said, "How is your leg? Can you show me your leg? Are you bleeding?" He was rubbing his leg but would not pull up his jeans to show me. He just said, "If you could give me some money, that would help."
He didn't want me to call the police - his words were "You better get off the median before the police come." I gave him all the cash I had ($40) and took his name and gave him mine. He limped away. I drove off very upset.
Was I scammed or am I guilty of breaking the law?
I stopped the car and helped him to the curb. He was limping. I pulled my car to the median and sat with him on the curb to see if he was OK. He was rubbing his shin and seemed to be in pain. I asked him if he wanted to go to a doctor or a hospital and he said no. He told me he was looking for work and asked me if I could give him some money.
A witness stopped his truck and gave me his card, saying he saw the whole thing and would be able to tell the police or whoever what he saw. He was in a rush, and had to leave.
Another man drove by who had not seen the accident, and asked the man on the ground if he was OK. He said he was, so the other man drove away.
I said, "How is your leg? Can you show me your leg? Are you bleeding?" He was rubbing his leg but would not pull up his jeans to show me. He just said, "If you could give me some money, that would help."
He didn't want me to call the police - his words were "You better get off the median before the police come." I gave him all the cash I had ($40) and took his name and gave him mine. He limped away. I drove off very upset.
Was I scammed or am I guilty of breaking the law?
