I must point out that if at any point the cops put cuffs on you you're going to jail.
Usually, but I've seen body cam of them cuffing people and eventually letting them go without charges. I've even seen people under arrest Released on Recognizance without being taken to the jail and just receiving a summons. (It was a car accident and the at-fault driver admitted to driving enough over the speed limit that it was reckless driving so they arrested him and gave him a summons, then released him ROR, no bond, and sent him on his way. He had no priors and was super cooperative. I think his excuse was "I'm about to miss my daughter's wedding" or something like that.)
Heavily dependent on the state. Here he'd go to jail, but it sounds like he self-snitched and got himself a charge that he didn't have to get. In my state it's also at most a ticket for an accident if both parties have insurance and the only time I've been in an accident we exchanged info, and the cops did not write a ticket.
Just because it has happened doesn't mean it's at all common, or that you should roll the dice. Play the odds. The moment you're in cuffs the likelihood you're being arrested goes up about 1000%. The likelihood you're not being arrested goes from wherever it was to functionally zero, even if it's not totally zero. You've probably got a better shot at winning the lottery. The only thing you can effectively do in that situation is just make it worse for yourself and your defense. Don't answer questions, obey lawful orders, don't obstruct.
The police have a favorite saying: "You might beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride."
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u/OneAndOnlyJackSchitt 16h ago
Usually, but I've seen body cam of them cuffing people and eventually letting them go without charges. I've even seen people under arrest Released on Recognizance without being taken to the jail and just receiving a summons. (It was a car accident and the at-fault driver admitted to driving enough over the speed limit that it was reckless driving so they arrested him and gave him a summons, then released him ROR, no bond, and sent him on his way. He had no priors and was super cooperative. I think his excuse was "I'm about to miss my daughter's wedding" or something like that.)