Ocala Woman Charged with Two Counts of DUI Manslaughter After Second Victim Dies
Ocala police say that a second person has lost their life after sustaining injuries in a multi-vehicle crash that occurred last week and was caused by a woman accused of driving under the influence at the time. Ocala police officers responded to the crash site at approximately 7:45 p.m. over reports of a crash involving a Honda Civic, a Toyota Scion, and a Chevrolet Spark. According to investigators, the driver of the Chevy Spark (identified as a 44-year-old woman) was headed southbound on N. Pine Ave. when she attempted to make a left-hand turn onto NW 20th Street. She turned her vehicle directly into the paths of the Honda and Toyota, which were traveling northbound on Pine Ave.
Police said that the Honda driver was able to avoid the collision, but the Toyota struck the suspect’s car head-on before crashing into a raised media, overturning multiple times, and hitting three other cars in a nearby used car lot. When officers responded, they found the Toyota Scion sitting on top of one of the used cars in the parking lot with its rear in the air.
One of the passengers in the Scion was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. The driver, a 28-year-old man, was taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
At the scene, officers noted that the suspect appeared to show significant signs of impairment including slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and the odor of alcohol on her breath. The suspect failed multiple field sobriety tests and produced breath samples of .191 and .186, more than double the legal limit.
To make matters worse, the second driver who was taken to the hospital later died of his injuries resulting in the suspect being charged with two counts of DUI manslaughter.
DUI manslaughter charges in Florida
Florida’s DUI manslaughter charges are among the most severe in the country. You can be charged once for every death you cause. The penalty structure for DUI manslaughter is based on a second-degree felony. It has a maximum sentence of 15 years behind bars, a recommended sentence of roughly 10 years behind bars, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 4 years behind bars. That means if you cause the death of another individual while operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, you will be sentenced to at least 4 years in state prison. But you could be sentenced to longer. The judge must find a good reason to diverge from the recommended sentence of 10 years. So, you must basically petition the court for leniency when making your plea.
Talk to an Orlando DUI Attorney Today
FL DUI Group represents the interests of Orlando residents who are currently facing DUI charges. Call our Florida DUI defense attorneys today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your defense right away.
Source:
wftv.com/news/local/florida-woman-given-additional-dui-manslaughter-charge-after-2nd-person-dies-crash-ocala/FBUI4W2STND6RKRYAQN5RJKFII/
