Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
Recently, a 23-year-old woman passed away due to injuries she suffered as a passenger in a vehicle involved in a three-car accident. According to news reports, Thomas Walters of Virginia Beach did not stop at an intersection, which resulted in a rear-end collision. He is now facing criminal charges including driving under the influence.
Penalties for DUI that results in the death of another person differ from state to state, however in Michigan those charged with DUI causing death may face up to 15 years behind bars along with possible fines of up to $10,000. Restitution and vehicle forfeiture or immobilization are also possible, and prosecutors may determine the offender should face murder charges. This is an extremely serious situation for anyone facing such charges; the consequences are life-changing.
When facing serious criminal charges including those involving DUI, it’s critical to obtain the legal guidance and support of an attorney who is fully dedicated to his or her client, and most importantly securing the best possible result. Unfortunately, many criminal defense law firms focus more on building a sizeable client base than providing outstanding legal guidance. Our firm focuses heavily on skilled representation for those charged with various drunk driving offenses including those that result in the injury or death of someone else as well as repeat offenders or individuals charged with “Super Drunk” offenses.
It may seem that if someone did indeed operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs with a BAC of .08 percent or greater, he or she would naturally be found guilty (or decide to plead guilty and simply accept the punishment). However, there are many factors that come into play when determining a person’s guilt, such as whether police had reasonable cause to pull someone over, whether the accused individual’s rights were violated, even whether the person was actually intoxicated. Some medications and even medical conditions can cause a person to appear “drunk,” when in fact the individual is not intoxicated. Was the equipment used in administering a breath test properly calibrated, and are the results accurate? There are countless questions that an experienced Michigan DUI attorney will address in protecting a client’s freedom and providing an outstanding defense should the case go to trial.
The criminal defense lawyers with our firm are experienced, skilled, dedicated, and aggressive. We vigorously pursue justice for our clients, and have the results to prove how capable our firm is. For example, we have had charges of drunk driving causing death dismissed for clients, with the charge reduced to failure to report an accident. In other cases, we had drunk driving cases dismissed based on the fact that police did not have reasonable suspicion to pull the client over. Many of our clients have been found not guilty at trial.
Anyone facing DUI charges should consult with a highly qualified Michigan criminal defense attorney regardless of how minor or serious the charge may seem. When your freedom and perhaps your employment or future are at risk, it is never a good idea to take that matter into your own hands.