DUI manslaughter charges follow fatal head-on crash

On Behalf of | Jun 28, 2018 | DUI

Being accused of drunk driving and causing the death of someone else can have dire consequences for anyone in Florida. The best step for a driver to take is likely to retain legal counsel as soon as possible. What is said and done immediately after such an arrest can be detrimental in any criminal proceedings that might follow, such as DUI manslaughter charges.

A 40-year-old Fort Myers man is in such a position after his arrest in the early morning hours of a recent Saturday. According to a report by Florida Highway Patrol troopers, his arrest followed a collision that he allegedly caused because he traveled in the wrong lane. It is alleged that the man was southbound in one of the northbound lanes when he crashed head-on into the car of a 71-year-old northbound driver.

Law enforcement said that driver could not avoid the collision. The impact of the crash apparently caused the driver’s car to go airborne. The driver died at the crash scene. Troopers arrested the wrong-way driver, and he is now facing charges that include DUI manslaughter and property damage.

There is no indication of when and how troopers determined that the arrested man was under the influence of alcohol, nor did the report reveal his blood alcohol level at the time of the crash. These are the questions that an experienced criminal defense attorney will ask about DUI manslaughter charges. The attorney can also be present during any interrogation and questioning to ensure the client’s legal rights are not violated. A lawyer will scrutinize the procedures followed by law enforcement before working on a defense strategy to obtain the best possible outcome.

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