Are DUI Accident Charges Worse in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has tough drunk driving laws. If you are convicted of DUI in Pennsylvania, you
can face severe penalties. Additionally, the long-term consequences of a DUI
conviction can follow you for many years. However, if you cause an accident while
driving drunk, you face additional penalties and charges. The best step you can
take after a DUI accident is to contact an Erie DUI defense attorney to discuss
your legal rights and your options for mounting an aggressive defense to DUI
charges.
DUI Accident Charges in Pennsylvania
If you caused a drunk driving accident, you could be charged with several DUI offenses
related to impaired driving and the DUI accident. Depending on the circumstances,
you could be charged with aggravated assault for a DUI accident, which is a second-degree
felony. If someone dies because of a DUI accident, you could face vehicular
homicide charges. At the very least, you could be charged with simple assault and
recklessly endangering another person, if you cause an accident while driving
drunk.
The penalties for a DUI accident conviction can be severe. If you are convicted for
DUI aggravated assault in relation to a drunk driving accident, you could be
sentenced to serve up to 10 years in prison and fined up to $25,000. A conviction
for DUI homicide carries a mandatory three-year prison sentence and a $25,000
fine per person killed as a result of the drunk driving accident.
DUI Accident Charges Are Not Convictions
Do not plead guilty to DUI accident charges without consulting with an Erie drunk driving
defense attorney. Police officers may pile additional criminal charges onto the
DUI charges when a drunk driver is involved in a traffic accident. However, the
police officers may not have conducted a thorough accident investigation before
assuming that the intoxicated driver caused the collision. It is often easy for
law enforcement officers to blame a drunk driver for causing an accident than
it is to investigate a complicated crash to determine the factors involved in
causing the collision.
As with any traffic accident, you need an experienced attorney to conduct a comprehensive accident
investigation. The investigation typically involves reviewing police reports
and accident reports; taking statements from witnesses; reviewing videos and
photographs; and, potentially consulting with accident experts to determine the
cause of the crash.
If you were not at-fault for causing the accident, charges related to the DUI accident might
be dismissed. By fighting DUI accident charges, you can potentially reduce the penalties
associated with the drunk driving incident.
Contact an Erie DUI Defense Attorney for More Information
There could be several DUI defenses applicable in your case. An experienced DUI defense
lawyer analyzes the case from every angle to develop the best DUI defense
strategy based on the facts and circumstances of your case. In some cases, a great
DUI defense strategy might result in dismissal of the charges. In other cases,
it could mean that you receive less severe penalties for drunk driving charges
than you would have received had you tried to handle the criminal charges without
an attorney.
Attorney Grant Tavis has extensive experience fighting DUI charges
in Pennsylvania. Put his knowledge, skills, and resources to work for you to
protect your legal rights and your future.
Contact The Travis Law Firm at (800) 401-2066 to
request a free legal consultation with a drunk driving defense attorney
near you.