Punitive damages, I had thought (not a lawyer), are only awarded because of fraud, oppression, or malice. (I would genuinely like to read more about this if someone out there would like to talk about it.) It sounds like this guy was just stupid.

Do you have proof that he did this out of malice?

...running from the scene though might be considered as a form of fraud. (Maybe?)

If you hire a secret squirrel to confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that this man actually did go home, and deliberately lied about stopping and waiting for you, LOL that’s totally fraud. And actually edging into the malice territory.

Food for thought until more people comment.