Orange County Vehicular Homicide Defense Lawyers
Vehicular Manslaughter
CASES WE HANDLE
Attorney Jeremy N. Goldman has substantial experience representing individuals charged with violent and vehicle crimes:
- DUI and DWI
- Reckless driving
- Assault with a deadly weapon
- Traffic Violations
- Driving on a suspended license
- Vehicular Manslaughter
A person charged with vehicular manslaughter in Orange County is in for a rough ride. The degree of seriousness when it comes to vehicular manslaughter charges cannot be stressed enough considering that a driver's use of a vehicle can be perceived by many as the same as using a weapon to take another person's life, even if the act was unintentional. Vehicular manslaughter is commonly linked to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In rarer cases, vehicular manslaughter could be caused by a person who tries to flee from police or the scene of an accident, and can even sometimes be the result of road rage.
California's laws regarding driving under the influence are strict and Vehicle Code 23152 prohibits a driver from operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher. A DUI charge in California goes beyond what are already serious charges if there is loss of life in a case of vehicular manslaughter. Under Penal Code 191.5, gross vehicular manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being by an intoxicated and negligent driver in which it is not necessary for there to have been planned thought to inflict harm. A first time vehicular manslaughter offender may be sentenced to 4, 6, or 10 years in state prison. When an individual has one or more prior vehicular manslaughter convictions on his or her record, he or she may be punished for a term of 15 years to life of imprisonment in the state prison.
In more serious incidents, vehicular manslaughter can be considered second degree murder in California if the accused is proven to have driven with more than gross or simple negligence, and in fact possessed a conscious disregard for human life that resulted in another's death. On a promising note, according to a NHTSA 2007 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment of Alcohol Impaired Driving Fatalities, California had the largest decrease in alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by a 117-person decline.
Contact Jeremy Goldman
With your future on the line when accused of vehicular manslaughter, the penalties against you are harsh and can be unforgiving. Your chances at a successful and strong defense are greater if you have the assistance of an experienced Orange County vehicular manslaughter defense attorney ensuring that a thorough investigation into the facts of your case is conducted with the utmost of care and diligence. At the Law Offices of Jeremy N. Goldman, our lawyers understand that this is an extremely important time in your life and will ensure that everything possible is done to defend and protect your rights.
