Police charge driver in fatal accident with DUI

A California man is facing criminal charges following a fatal accident. Police arrested the driver on three counts for gross vehicular manslaughter as well as one count for felony DUI. A judge set the man’s bail at $100,000 and at last update he was still in police custody.

According to police, the 46-year-old man was driving while under the influence of alcohol through a residential area just before the wreck. Witnesses told authorities that it appeared as if he was driving around 50 mph just before the accident, which is more than twice that of the legal speed limit in the area. At some point he apparently lost control and drove off of the road and then through a fence. His vehicle then struck a residential home.

Three occupants in the house were killed in the accident. In addition, a 10-year-old child was hospitalized in critical condition. It does not appear as if the driver was injured. It is also not clear what methods police used to determine that he was intoxicated at the time of the collision.

A felony DUI charge is serious, and a defendant may even lose access to his or her driving privileges before being convicted. This is on top of other potential criminal consequences, which commonly include fines and even lengthy jail sentences. As such, California defendants are usually well advised to begin working on their criminal defense plans in as timely a manner as possible. Doing so can help a defendant determine his or her options for securing the best outcome possible.