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/StrawberriesRGood4U]

NTA. He is an adult. He made a choice that resulted in serious injury to an innocent person, and further, his history indicates previous lessons have not been learned. Police may have arrested him for a number of reasons beyond just DUI. Many jurisdictions, for instance, treat street racing or dangerous driving causing bodily harm as criminal offenses rather than minor traffic infractions. If he is in jail for this, there's likely a damn good reason for it. Leaving him there to spend the weekend thinking seems quite reasonable.

[u/JustBid5821 → u/StrawberriesRGood4U]

When I was growing up my aunt and uncle never let my cousin spend a night in jail and bailed him out of every situation. No matter how bad the situation. They are now raising his two kids with two different women. I have told my son that no matter what if he does something that gets him put in jail he will be spending however long in jail it takes to make him rethink his behavior. You are NTA for holding your son accountable for his actions. Get a lawyer because the public defender is just going to go the easiest route.