Chris Brown hit-and-run charge dismissed

Singer Chris Brown is off the hook in his misdemeanor hit-and-run case, after a judge dismissed the charge, noting that a “civil compromise” had been reached.

Brown came to an agreement with the woman whose car he struck in Toluca Lake last May, Superior Court Judge Christine Ewell said.

Ewell dropped the charge over objections from a deputy city attorney who noted that Brown was on felony probation for a 2009 assault on singer Rihanna at the time and showed signs of aggression after the collision.

The criminal case appeared to be collapsing when prosecutors dismissed a misdemeanor charges of driving without a license and driving without insurance, leaving only the hit-and-run allegation.

Brown’s attorney, Mark Geragos, had filed a motion to dismiss that charge, citing a civil settlement between Brown and the other driver, Olga Kovalenko, whose Mercedes was rear-ended in the May collision.

Geragos said that no extra money was paid to the car owner beyond the insurance payment for damage to the vehicle. He said it was his opinion that Brown was being “prosecuted for who he is, not what he’s done.”

In the aftermath of the incident, Brown had publicly said he stopped and spoke to the alleged victim, providing her with information.

Prosecutors opted to dismiss the driving without a license charge because Brown produced a license from his native Virginia; and the driving without insurance charge also was dismissed because he was able to show he had insurance.

The misdemeanor case is important because of Brown’s probation for the beating of his then-girlfriend Rihanna.

Judge James R. Brandlin recently revoked Brown’s probation and set a court date for Friday. Brown could face up to four years in jail on the probation violation.

L.A. County district attorney’s officials said the decision to drop certain charges won’t influence their pursuit of the probation violation. Prosecutors are also alleging that Brown never completed his community service as he contends.

In August 2009, Brown was ordered to serve 1,400 hours of community service, complete domestic violence classes and serve five years’ probation. He was convicted of felony domestic violence for striking Rihanna as he was driving a rented Lamborghini through Los Angeles after a Grammy party.

Brown has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

“I did everything I was suppose to do during the so called hit n run,” Brown wrote on Twitter on Monday. “I provided the correct info(rmation). There were no injuries or damages. (come on)!!”

Once called a model probationer by a judge, Brown’s actions have recently been questioned by prosecutors.

Earlier this year, prosecutors accused the singer of having significant discrepancies in the records supporting his 1,400 hours of community service in his native Virginia and asked a judge to toss them out.

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richard.winton@latimes.com