aitah for considerinf leaving my son in the county jail hospital over the weekend instead of paying $9,500.00 in bail?

[u/ShowerElectrical9342]

My son hit a pregnant woman with his vehicle and broke his nose and has stitches on his lip.

He was arrested and is in the county jail hospital. He wouldn't tell me how badly injured the woman is, except that she might lose the baby.

He's a careless, distracted driver who has totalled 2 cars, which his bio dad immediately replaced with even better cars!

But now his bio dad is gone (heart attack) and I don't want to enable this dangerous driving problem.

I'm overwhelmed.

He has had accidents before, and has always been bailed out.

I'm trying to get a regular lawyer because now he says she might lose the baby and sue him.

He's 19.

But no one wants me to take the time to get a regular lawyer instead of this public defender who insists I must send the bail money NOW or my son will be in jail all weekend.

Honestly, I don't know. Maybe that would be good for him. Like a wakeup call.

He didn't mention alcohol, but why else would he he arrested for a car accident?

Help! I have to move fast!

AITAH for even thinking about letting him spend a weekend in jail?

[u/Winter-Blackberry594]

NTA - Don't you dare bail him out. It will not be a positive investment for anyone. That includes your son. He needs to face the music for his recklessness. It has now potentially cost a life and there absolutely be consequences. Do not bail him out AT ALL he is young, foolish, spoilt and a flight risk. If he flees to avoid prosecution you will lose every dime. He is a legal adult and needs to work this out on his own, which if the baby dies will very likely be a charge of vehicular homicide not just a lawsuit. Sometimes loving your child correctly means letting them suffer the consequences of their actions however harsh. I wouldn't get an attorney for him either the public defender is good enough. Let the pregnant woman get her justice, she deserves it. Let your son finally get the wake up call he sorely needs before he does something even worse. Don't be one of those mother's that you see on court tv crying for "their baby" and putting themselves in the poor house when "their baby" has done something terrible to someone else and dishonored their family. Also something important YOU DON'T PAY BAIL TO A PUBLIC DEFENDER. IF THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN SAID TO YOU, YOU ARE BEING SCAMMED.

[u/Winter-Blackberry594 → u/Winter-Blackberry594]

Oh and one more thing if by some miracle you don't get sued personally, because I assume he is on your vehicle insurance. Remove him from said insurance permanently. If he isn't placed in prison for this he will need to learn something called self-reliance. If you feel the need to hire an attorney I would suggest you to do so for yourself if he is on your insurance. I feel you will be needing it.