Missouri Driver In Fatal DUI Accident Convicted

Passenger Loses Life In Tragic Collision

After being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in Missouri, a man was convicted and sentenced to spend more than a year in prison. Attorneys working on the defendant's behalf arranged a plea deal to reduce his sentence, reports indicate, pleading guilty to the lesser charge of vehicular manslaughter.

According to court documents filed in the aftermath of the trial, the incident is believed to have taken place on June 27^th of this year. The defendant, a 23-year old man from Wentzville, Missouri, was accused of driving intoxicated in his vehicle in Rancho Tehama just before the accident. At approximately 2:30 PM that afternoon, the suspect was driving his 2007 Kia Spectra down Remunda Road when he lost control of the vehicle.

The automobile flew off the side of the road and down an embankment before it flipped over onto its roof. The driver suffered minor wounds in the collision, as did two of his passengers, aged 28 and 29. All three were taken to nearby medical centers to receive treatment.

The fourth passenger in the Spectra, however, was not so fortunate. The 22-year old man from Belleville, IL was believed not to have been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, law enforcement officials told the court. He was gravely injured as a result of the accident, and died shortly thereafter.

Plea Bargain Sends Defendant To Prison For 16 Months

Investigators with local law enforcement say they are unsure what exactly caused the vehicle to spin out of control in the first place, blaming the defendant's allegedly impaired state for the accident. Police said they took the driver into custody at the scene of the crime on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injures, then booked into the Tehama County Jail.

The DUI defense team representing the defendant advised their client to agree to a plea bargain with the prosecution. He eventually acquiesced, pleading guilty to vehicular manslaughter, and was sentenced to spend 16 months in prison. The felony sentence was reduced from his initial charges of gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI resulting in death.

A DUI Defense Attorney You Can Trust

If you have been accused of driving under the influence in an automobile accident that resulted in the death of another, please, do not despair! With the aid of a trained legal professional from the Law Offices of Charles R. Green, you can defend yourself and seek the best possible outcome for yourself and your loved ones. At our firm, we are dedicated to protecting your rights from overzealous law enforcement officers and prosecutors. Please, contact our firm to speak with a DUI defense attorney before it is too late!