DUI and manslaughter charges often results in jail time for the offender. Each offense is a serious crime with equally serious consequences, although the penalties for DUI are significantly less harsh than those for manslaughter. Driving after consuming alcohol is never a wise move, even if you’ve only had a few drinks. A few drinks may be all it takes to impair your judgment and ability to safely drive.
One such driver in Orange City, Florida drove while intoxicated and ended up killing another motorist. The Daytona Beach News Journal recently reported that the suspect was speeding along an interstate highway when he rear-ended the victim’s vehicle, killing him. A blood test determined the suspect had a blood alcohol level nearly three times’ Florida’s legal limit. According to Highway Patrol, the suspect turned himself in upon learning there was a warrant out for his arrest. He was later released from jail after posting bail. At press time, he faced charges of DUI manslaughter and DUI bodily injury.
The suspect in this case most likely faces a long prison sentence for the manslaughter charges alone, because manslaughter is a felony. The length of his jail term will not only depend on how well his criminal defense attorney argues his case, but on whether or not he is a habitual DUI offender. Jail time is certain even without any previous convictions. The fact that he took responsibility for his actions and turned himself into the authorities will be taken under consideration, but it may have very little influence on a judge’s decision when it comes to sentencing.