On behalf of Raymond V. Giudice, P.C. posted in Drunk Driving on Friday, January 25, 2013
Drunk driving charges are always taken seriously by police and prosecutors in Georgia, however there are a number of factors that can make the outlook even worse for a defendant. If the defendant has a very high blood alcohol reading or is involved in an accident resulting in injury or death, the charges will likely be upgraded and the penalties for a conviction would be very severe.
In a recent DUI case in Atlanta, police are looking not only at the circumstances around an arrest but also at the driver's intent, which typically is not a factor in drunk driving cases. This investigation is surrounding a series of hit-and-run collisions in Dekalb and Gwinnett counties that left one person critically injured and another dead Wednesday.
A 70-year-old Stone Mountain man has been accused of striking more than 12 vehicles along a stretch of 15 miles. While the man's blood alcohol test has not yet been processed, he has been charged with DUI, vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving and following another vehicle to closely. Police have said the charges could be upgraded if their investigation leads them to believe that the driver was not only drunk, but that he intended to cause harm.
It is not clear at this point what evidence suggests the man may have intended to crash into other cars.
In most car accidents, of course, no one intended to cause harm. Nonetheless, drivers can still face serious criminal charges including DUI in the aftermath of collisions. Even when a driver makes an honest mistake that leads to an unfortunate accident, he or she can face serious criminal charges that may lead to a license suspension, fines and jail time. Those who face criminal charges after a car accident often benefit from seeking a criminal defense attorney who will protect the defendant's rights while working to resolve the case.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Police looking at intent in DUI crashes," Dan Klepal, Jan. 25, 2013
- Our criminal law firm in Atlanta, Georgia, counsels those who have been charged with drunk driving, hit-and-run, vehicular homicide and other traffic offenses. To learn more about this area of our practice, please visit our Traffic Offenses page.