What Are The Consequences For A DUI Manslaughter Conviction In Riverside County

If you kill somebody while Driving Under the Influence in Riverside County then you will very likely be charged with 2^nd degree murder and will be facing a potential sentence of 15-life in state prison. That being said, many factors are considered when the District Attorney charges DUI cases that involve fatalities. Some cases are charged as DUI manslaughter initially and other cases may be reduced from murder to DUI manslaughter.

There are two general types of DUI manslaughter cases under California law. Those cases involving gross negligence and those cases that involve “ordinary” negligence.

Gross negligence means that the person acted in a reckless way that created a high risk of death or great bodily injury and that a reasonable person would have known that acting in that way would create such a risk. In other words, a person acts with gross negligence when the way he or she acts is so different from the way an ordinarily careful person would act in the same situation that his or her act amounts to a disregard for human life or indifference to the consequences of that act. A conviction of gross DUI manslaughter carries a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Ordinary negligence is the failure to use reasonable care to prevent reasonably foreseeable harm to oneself or another person. A conviction of DUI manslaughter with ordinary negligence carries a potential jail sentence of up to 4 years.

There are many factors that determine the outcome of a criminal case and having a highly skilled Riverside DUI attorney is vital in making sure you get the best possible result in your case. The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have been helping those charged with DUI manslaughter in Riverside for over 40 years. You can call us at 888-280-6839 or visit our website www.wklaw.com. We will be there when you call.