Driver Charged with DUI Manslaughter After Fatal Crash in Orange County
Police have arrested a 39-year-old man after a fatal accident involving a 24-year-old woman who died in Orange County on December 24, according to Florida Highway Patrol. He has since been charged with DUI manslaughter, which is the most serious DUI offense that a Floridian can face. The defendant is currently being held on a $25,000 bond at Orange County Jail. The crash occurred at 4:05 a.m. on Forest City Road and Lake Weston Drive in Orlando, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
According to the investigation report, a 2018 Toyota Tundra driven by the defendant was traveling westbound on Lake Weston Drive approaching the intersection of Forest City Road. The victim was driving a 2021 Hyundai Sonata traveling northbound on Forest City Road approaching Lake Weston Drive from the inside lane. Police say that the defendant failed to stop at a stop sign and entered the path of the Hyundai Sonata striking the vehicle. The impact caused the truck to turn over and the sedan was forced off the road. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The defendant is now facing charges related to her death.
It is unclear whether or not police issued a breathalyzer test at the scene or forced the defendant to undergo a field sobriety test.
DUI manslaughter charges in Orlando, FL
DUI manslaughter is the most serious DUI offense that you can face in Florida. It comes with a mandatory minimum sentence of 4 years and a recommended sentence of 10 years. In order to avoid a 10-year sentence, a defendant must qualify before the judge for a downward departure sentence. In many cases, this means an attorney for the defendant has to provide the court with mitigating circumstances in order to actively advocate for the lower four-year sentence. It can be a difficult situation for a defendant to be in. Judges do not necessarily want to go easy on defendants who take the lives of other drivers. If the DUI was a first offense, the defendant may have a better chance of getting a downward departure sentence.
Law enforcement will need to prove that the defendant’s BAC was above the .08 legal threshold for alcohol intoxication at the time of the crash. They will also need to establish that the accident was the fault of the defendant. In order to be charged with DUI manslaughter, you must have caused the accident that led to the victim’s death. In this case, law enforcement says that the defendant ran a stop sign before striking the other vehicle. In that case, the accident was the fault of the defendant. They will only need to establish that the defendant’s BAC was above .08 at the time of the crash.
Talk to an Orlando DUI Attorney Today
The Florida DUI defense attorneys at FL DUI Group represent the interests of Orlando residents who have been charged with DUI and related offenses. Call our office today to schedule an appointment and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
Source:
orlandosentinel.com/2023/12/31/woman-dead-after-fatal-crash-in-orange-county/
