Dragnet 1967/The Hit-and-Run Driver

The Hit-and-Run Driver
Season 1, Episode 12
Airdate	April 6, 1967
Written by	David Vowell
Directed by	Jack Webb
Produced by	Jack Webb
← 1x11 The Shooting	1x13 → The Bookie
Dragnet 1967 — Season One

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The Hit-and-Run Driver is the twelfth episode of the first season of Dragnet 1967.

Starring: Jack Webb (Sgt. Joe Friday), Harry Morgan (Officer Bill Gannon)

with Audrey Dalton (Patricia Filmore), Robert Clarke (Clayton Filmore), Harlan Warde (Capt. Tom Janes), Buddy Lester (Bob Dugan), Olan Soulé (Ray Murray), Stuart Nisbet (Gus Archer), Dennis McCarthy (Norman Jacoby), King Moody (Norton Bernard), Julian Burton (Ed Neiman), James Seay (Paul Bateman), Morgan Jones (Bill Wheelock), Rhoda Williams (Alice Bronson)

Plot Overview

Working out of the traffic division, Friday and Gannon are called to a fatal hit-and-run accident that killed an elderly couple. Joe eventually catches up with the driver, who has a history of driving-related offenses, and tries to set him straight on what he'd done, but the heedless man eventually causes another tragedy while behind the wheel.

Quotes

• Clayton Fillmore: Sgt. Friday, lead the way. Don't look so hangdog. How old did you say those two were that you say I hit?

Friday: The woman was 67; the man was 73.

Fillmore: Well, I'm sorry, but it isn't as if they were going to live much longer, anyway. Isn't that right?

Lawyer: I'd suggest that you don't say anything more, Clay.

Fillmore: But it's true. I am sorry.

Friday: Yeah, well sorry won't bring them back, Fillmore.

Fillmore: [sarcastically] The dedicated cop.

Lawyer: Now you have a right to remain silent, Clay. I advise you to do so.

Friday: There's no rule against him listening, is there?

Lawyer: Depends on what you say to him, sergeant.

Friday: Yeah, well, I'll try to be careful. Fillmore, maybe as far as you're concerned, those two people lived all the live you figure they should. But what gives you the right to end it for them? It really doesn't bother you, does it? You were in a 30 mile zone, you were doing 50, maybe 55 miles an hour. Those two people you hit were knocked 77 feet, six inches down the street from the point of impact. We believe you'd been drinking this time, too. This isn't the first time for you. You got a drunk driving record that goes back to your high school days. Every time, you've beaten it, haven't you? Down the hall there is traffic enforcement division. We've got good laws and they try and enforce them, but they have an impossible job. There are 130 miles of freeway in this city, better than six thousand miles of surface streets. Every ten minutes, there's an accident; every ten minutes, somebody like you tries to kill himself or somebody else. You blew 20 minutes of that time all by yourself. Mister, you killed two human beings; two people who were alive and breathing seconds before you ran 'em down, and you've got the monumental gall to stand here and say they wouldn't have lived much longer. You may be out on bail in a couple of hours, and if so, you take this to lunch with you. Two people are lying over there in the county morgue, and you put 'em there. You were in a hurry the night you killed 'em, you're in a hurry now to see how fast you can forget. I want to wish you a lot of luck. I hope it takes the rest of your life.