What may seem like a simple DUI case one day could turn into a manslaughter charge the next day. This was the case for one resident of Anaheim, who found himself charged with killing three women. Read on to learn more about this case. If you’ve been accused of a DUI or other related charge, reach out to a criminal defense attorney sooner rather than later. At Law Office of Michael L. Fell, you can request a free legal consultation by calling (949) 585-9055.
All three victims were pedestrians
According to police, the driver was allegedly drunk while driving. Around 11 PM, the victims were walking together on their way home from a friend’s house. They crossed the street in Anaheim at Wester and Del Monte. The defense has pointed out that there are no marked crosswalks at this spot. However, the prosecution was able to convince the courts that it didn’t matter if there were marked crosswalks or not because pedestrians legally have the right of way and can cross at any intersection – marked or not.
The story of witnesses went a long way
There were several witnesses to the accident. They all say that the area was well lit, which leaves the driver with no excuse for not seeing the women crossing the street, even though it was at night. The District Attorney’s office released information about the victims, including the fact that they were all related. The youngest, who was 21, had just been engaged. A memorial service was held for them at the site of the car accident.
The police give more details to the story
In addition to what the witnesses have stated, the police also found their own evidence. They discovered that the driver had a blood alcohol content of 0.17, which is well above the legal limit of 0.08. The police also say that the man hardly slowed down at all before he struck the women. All of them died on impact. As a result of these findings, he’s being charged with three felony counts of manslaughter, a felony DUI count, a felony count of driving with a blood alcohol content of more than the legal limit, and one felony count of causing bodily injury.
The driver had a past record
Records shown that the drive pled guilty in 1997 to a drug crime: Possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. For that crime, he did 90 days in jail. Four years later, he violated his probation and went back to prison for 16 months. When he was first arrested for the current alleged crimes, the judge ordered $500,000. His savvy attorney was able to have that lowered to $300,000.
Every person accused of a crime deserves a strong defense. If you’ve been accused of DUI or any other criminal offense, then you should reach out to a criminal defense attorney right away. Call Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 and we’ll start with a free legal consultation. Today is the day to get the help you need.