Accidents can happen to anyone driving a car. In these cases, one small error can cause a lot of damage. When people's mistake was that they were driving drunk, criminal charges will likely follow an accident. The severity of the charges will depend on the amount of damage that occurred in the accident and whether someone else was hurt. The most serious charges follow a fatal car accident.
An Oregon woman has been charged with a variety of serious criminal charges following a fatal car accident. Specifically, the woman has been charged with DUII, second-degree manslaughter, reckless driving and assault, among others. As a result the woman is being held on $500,000 bail and could face prison time, large fines and loss of her driver's license.
According to police, these charges follow a very serious accident. The police say that the 58-year-old woman was driving on U.S. 101 when she crashed head-on into another car. Police allege that the woman had crossed the center line prior to the accident. In the accident, a 71-year-old and an 89-year-old were killed and another passenger, a 74-year-old, was seriously injured.
It will now be up to the prosecutors to prove that the woman was actually under the influence at the time of the accident. It is not clear from reports, why the police think the woman should be charged with DUII. Under Oregon laws, police can charge a person with DUII for driving under the influence of intoxicants including alcohol and drugs. This can include illegal drugs or prescription medication. However, in order to be found guilty, a person's blood alcohol content level must be above the legal limit of .08 percent.
For those charged with DUII, it is important for them to challenge the police's evidence. If people can show that the police have not measured their BAC level correctly, then charges may be dropped.
Source: The Oregonian, "Depoe Bay woman charged in fatal crash that killed two, police say," Shane Dixon Kavanaugh, Nov. 8, 2013
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