The severity of drunk driving charges can be influenced by any number of influences, including a driver’s speed or his or her blood-alcohol content. When an injury or death is allegedly caused by drunk driving, the driver can face especially severe consequences. If drunk driving charges are ultimately filed against a man currently in police custody, it is likely that two traffic related fatalities will be taken into consideration.
The driver is accused of causing a deadly car wreck that killed two people and sent several others to the hospital. Colorado police claim that witnesses reported seeing the man’s vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed before striking two cars that were stopped at a red light. At least one other vehicle was involved in the wreck, although it is not entirely clear how.
The two fatalities were occupants of the same vehicle. Aside from the driver, five people were transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries, where all but one has been released, who is listed in fair condition. The driver suffered unspecified injuries. Police ultimately located his vehicle in a nearby lot, where the driver had collapsed in the front seat. While he currently remains in the hospital, authorities are looking into the possibility that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time or whether a medical condition might have had a role in the tragedy.
Although the possibility of a medical condition has been stated, the driver is still in police custody with a very real possibility of having to face criminal allegations for the wreck. Colorado authorities will likely consider the nature of the wreck, including fatalities and related injuries when considering how to charge him accordingly. No matter the fine details of the charges, virtually all drunk driving allegations carry a heavy implication for the defendant, including suspended or revoked driving privileges and jail time. Since there is no one correct way to fight these types of charges, defendants typically benefit from first reviewing all of the evidence and allegations under the guidance of their respective counsel before deciding how to proceed.
Source: kwgn.com, “Driver accused in crash that killed 2 on Colorado Boulevard faces DUI investigation”, Hsing Tseng, Jan. 3, 2016