Police Say Man Told Them To “Chill” After Killing Pedestrian
After killing a father of four in an accident, the suspect informed police that they should “chill” because he was “just intoxicated”. The man fled the scene after striking and killing the pedestrian.
According to the suspect’s girlfriend, she had tracked his phone to a bar where she went to confront him. At that point, the suspect, apparently irritated, left the bar at a high rate of speed and killed a pedestrian. The suspect’s BAC was more than three times the legal limit. The suspect is facing every charge you can think of relating to DUI. Below, we’ll take a look at the charges.
What are the charges?
Bullet-point seems a good way to organize this information. The defendant is facing charges for:
- DUI manslaughter
- DUI with property damage
- Reckless driving
- Excessive speed
- Vehicular homicide
- Failing to render aid at the scene
- Fleeing the scene of an accident
And there are probably more that I am leaving out. Because the defendant fled the scene of the accident, both homicide and manslaughter penalties are doubled. While the maximum sentence for DUI homicide is 15 years, it is 30 in the event that the defendant fails to render aid or flees the scene of the accident. Plus, the defendant had a capricious attitude toward the death of a man he had just caused, further indicating that he is remorseless for the death. In other words, this is about as bad as a DUI case can get.
Potential defenses to this crime
DUI defense attorneys can use the law to help our clients from being over-prosecuted for their crimes. But in this case, the police have the defendant’s girlfriend stating that he left the bar in a hurry after a fight. Surveillance puts him at the bar, shows him getting into his car, and driving off. Surveillance also shows him speeding down the street, making an abrupt lane change, before he skips over the median and plows into a pedestrian. Undeterred, the man continues to drive away. He is later picked up by police who he advises to “chill” because he’s only intoxicated.
Unfortunately, the facts of the case indicate the defendant is guilty of DUI manslaughter. However, we don’t know that he is as black-hearted about death as he appears. Likely, his attorney will discuss his mental health issues along with the fight with his girlfriend that caused him to behave erratically while under the influence. The court may consider this information when sentencing, but it won’t get him off the hook. He will likely need to commit to a lifetime of sobriety to show the court he is seriously remorseful. Nonetheless, he will spend time in prison for the death.
Talk to an Orlando DUI Attorney Today
If you are facing DUI charges in Orlando, don’t just plead guilty because the facts aren’t on your side. There are still arguments you can make to reduce your sentence. Call the Florida DUI defense attorneys at FL DUI Group today to discuss your situation and allow us to begin preparing your defense today.
Resource:
clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/06/09/chill-im-just-intoxicated-florida-dui-suspect-says-after-hitting-killing-pedestrian-police-say/
