Driving while you’re drunk is a quick way to end up in trouble with the law. More states are cracking down on drunk driving, sending out more officers to stop those who appear to be driving recklessly.
If you choose to drive drunk, you should be aware that you could cause serious injuries or deaths if you cause a collision. If that happens, you face more than just the typical DUI penalties; You could face a wrongful death lawsuit in civil court as well as enhanced DUI penalties, fines and prison time.
Take, for example, a case out of Millersville. A man has been accused of driving while intoxicated and hitting a 24-year-old man in his Mazda 3. The 33-year-old driver has been charged with homicide by vehicle while DUI along with other counts associated with the collision.
The report indicated that the 33-year-old man had been speeding in his Chevy Camaro when he crossed into oncoming traffic and hit the other driver’s vehicle. The 24-year-old driver died at the scene.
In cases like this, it may seem black and white, but there are still things that people can do to protect themselves against unfair charges and penalties. The goal for anyone accused of a DUI-related homicide should be to have the charges reduced or eliminated based on the facts of their case. Your blood alcohol content (BAC), as well as other factors, will make a difference in any case involving a collision, especially if you believe that you were not over the limit at the time of the incident.
