Orlando Woman Charged After Running Red Light, Killing Father and Son
Police have arrested an Orlando woman on charges that she ran a red light and killed two people, a father and his son. The woman is now facing two charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, driving on a suspended license, and violation of probation. A 50-year-old man and his 19-year-old son died in the crash while attempting to make a left-hand turn. The suspect’s vehicle ran a red light and t-boned the vehicle in a horrific crash.
The suspect was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee while the victims were in a Kia Soul. According to the accident report, the Kia Soul overturned several times before coming to a halt. A massive amount of damage was done to both vehicles. The defendant’s bail was set at $700,000.
The suspect has three prior DUI arrests on her record. Her license had been suspended at the time of the accident. She was not allowed to operate a motor vehicle at all.
The suspect was ordered to give a blood sample
The suspect was taken to the hospital where she was ordered to give a blood sample. Blood testing is considered the most accurate way to test a person’s blood alcohol content (BAC). Police are still waiting for the results of that test but feel confident that the woman was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Police have charged the woman with both vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter. The penalty structure for both charges is the same. If her BAC comes back below the .08 limit for drunk driving, then the police can still charge her with vehicular homicide. They cannot, however, convict her of both vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter. Given her prior arrests, police feel confident that she was under the influence when she caused the crash.
Tallying up the charges
DUI manslaughter has a recommended sentence of 10 years in state prison. In some cases, especially for first offenses, a defendant may be able to ask the court for a downward departure sentence. In these cases, the absolute minimum that a defendant can receive if they take the life of another person while operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol is 4 years. This particular defendant is unlikely to qualify for a downward departure sentence because she has three prior arrests for DUI. That means that she is likely facing a minimum of 20 years in state prison and a maximum of 30.
Florida is extremely harsh on drivers who end the lives of other motorists. Even if her BAC comes back below the legal limit, she can still be charged with vehicular homicide. The defendant is not in a strong position to fight the charges with her driving record.
Talk to an Orlando DUI Attorney Today
FL DUI Group represents the interests of those charged with DUI in Orlando. Call our Florida DUI defense lawyers today to schedule an appointment and we can begin preparing your defense to the charges right away.
Source:
wesh.com/article/leslie-gehret-dui-manslaughter/44492539#
