Vehicular Manslaughter

A pro surfer who crashed his car while he was drunk, killing his 24 year old passenger, was sentenced to four years in state prison, according to a 10news.com report. The surfer pled guilty on June 18 to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and could have been sentenced to as many as 10 years in prison.

The report indicates that the surfer lost control of the Toyota Avalon he was driving while traveling about 65 mph in a 25-mph zone. The sedan hit a parked car and smashed into a palm tree. The surfer suffered serious injuries in the crash, the passenger in the vehicle (and owner of the car) died.

DUI accidents escalate the severity of a DUI charge even further by adding an “aggravating circumstance” to what would otherwise be routine DUI prosecution. In the vital days following your DUI arrest, you have little time in which to mount a DUI accident defense. An experienced California DUI attorney will review the police’s investigation and perform independent inquiries, if deemed appropriate. They will also have the resources and knowledge to ask the proper questions when it comes to mounting a potential defense.

In tragic instances where a life has been lost (as is the case here), the charges are escalated to vehicular manslaughter. Though vehicular manslaughter charges are serious, they do not always result in a felony conviction. A qualified DUI attorney will understand the sentencing guidelines and options for lessening the charges, or having them thrown out of court all together.

One of the worst parts of a DUI vehicular manslaughter charge is the negative social stigma that is involved with the crime, even before a case has gone to trial. Although all individuals are innocent until proven guilty and have a constitutional right to a competent, strong defense, those charged with this crime tend to be thought of as “guilty until proven innocent.” The right DUI attorney is not intimidated by a vehicular manslaughter and DUI case. Instead, he or she confidently relies on a long-standing track record and deep knowledge of the DUI field to aggressively defend the client.

If you or someone you love has been accused of vehicular manslaughter charges in California, contact an experienced DUI attorney at Wallin & Klarich today for a consultation of your case. Our attorneys can help defend your rights under the law. Call Wallin & Klarich at 888-749-0034 or visit www.wklaw.com for more information.

Source:http://www.10news.com/news/21093572/detail.html