Statute of limitations: vehicular manslaughter: fleeing the scene of an accident.

Existing law makes it a crime to drive a vehicle, with gross negligence, in the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, or in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death, in an unlawful manner. Existing law provides that those acts are punishable either by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years. Existing law also makes it a crime to perform either of those acts without gross negligence. Existing law provides that this crime is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year. Existing law also sets forth various time limits to prosecute crimes. Except as otherwise specified, prosecution for an offense that is not punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison is required to be commenced within one year after commission of the offense. This bill would provide that notwithstanding any other limitation of time, as specified, if a person flees the scene of an accident, a criminal complaint for the crimes described above may be filed either one or 3 years after the commission of the offense, as specified, or one year after the person is initially identified by law enforcement as a suspect in the commission of that offense, whichever is later.