The punishments for drunk driving are always harsh. However, under certain circumstances, penalties can increase exponentially. One of these situations occurs when other people get hurt in an accident caused by a drunk driver. In that case, more serious charges can be filed against a person in addition to DUI or DUII charges.
In a recent case in Portland, a man has been charged with various drunk driving charges after he allegedly hit two pedestrians. According to police, the 50-year-old man admitted to getting behind the wheel of a car after having a couple beers and smoking some marijuana. While he was driving near the intersection of 142nd Avenue and Southeast Division Street, witnesses say he hit a young couple who had been walking in the crosswalk. Both were seriously injured in the accident.
According to criminal records, the man has been convicted of DUII three times prior to this most recent incident.
Following the accident, the man was arrested and charged with recklessly endangering another person, DUII and two counts of third-degree assault. Recently, the man pleaded no contest to the charges. It is expected that he will be sentenced to at least two years in prison as a result. Furthermore, the man will lose his drivers' license for the remainder of his life.
Some people may think that they have no choice but to plead guilty to DUII or DUI charges after there has been a serious accident. However, that is not the case. There are often many defenses available to those accused of DUI or DUII. For example, the police must be able to prove that a person was actually driving with a blood alcohol content level above the legal limit. If police cannot prove this, charges may be thrown out.
People who have been charged with DUI or other drunk driving related charges should explore all their defense options before pleading guilty to the charges.
Source: The Oregonian, "DUII driver faces 2 years for slamming into newlywed couple in Southeast Portland," Aimee Green, Feb. 28, 2013
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