Vehicular Manslaughter in DUI Crash
Authorities have identified 5 year-old Taane Unga of Sun City as the victim of a collision with an alcohol-impaired driver the past Sunday on the I-215 freeway near Perris, California. Steven M. Peterson, 53, was attempting to change lanes when he clipped the back end of the minivan in front of him. Both vehicles drove off the roadway and the minivan flipped over. The two passengers in the rear of the minivan, Unga and an unidentified 15 year-old girl, appear to have not been wearing seat belts and were both ejected from the car. The 15 year-old girl suffered major injuries and was rushed to a local hospital, while the driver of the minivan and a fourth passenger suffered minor injuries. Peterson was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. He is currently being held on $75,000 bail.
In Los Angeles, vehicular manslaughter charges are an unfortunate and frequent addition to driving under the influence charges.
Vehicular manslaughter related to DUI is generally classified as a felony offense in Los Angeles and can send you to prison for an average of four years if you are convicted. If gross negligence or recklessness stemming from DUI can be proved by the prosecution, you might find yourself in prison for as many as ten years. If you have been charged with
vehicular manslaughter related to DUI, the situation may seem hopeless, but a criminal defense attorney with a strong background in DUI cases can be a great help. Depending on your particular situation, your Los Angeles DUI defense attorney may be able to have your charges reduced or dismissed altogether. In some cases, poor road conditions or the reckless driving of other vehicles may prove a bigger factor in your collision. Actually being convicted of DUI in Los Angeles is also not as cut and dried as it might seem. Several factors pull together in determining a person's actual blood alcohol content during an incident.
If you have been charged with vehicular manslaughter in a DUI case, call the defense attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today to learn about your options.