According to the FBI, more than 1.41 million drivers in the United States were arrested for driving under the influence in 2010 alone. That high figure comes with another fact that applies to you—many of these arrests occurred in Florida. Based on a DUI map recently published in the Daily Mail, Florida and Texas were the two states with the most alcohol-related fatal crashes. Manhattan and Memphis were two of the larger cities cited for their low-rate of driving under the influence deaths.
One final fact pointed out in the article looked at the age of fatal DUI offenders. That largest group of offenders was in the 21-25 range. Whatever your age, a fatal DUI charge is a life changing event. It should come as no surprise that Florida Highway Patrol officers are always on the lookout for drunk drivers, especially young drivers.
A Florida DUI arrest is an incredibly frightening experience for many. And rightfully so– from the moment you are pulled over, the police are not on your side. Florida officers are looking for a reason to arrest you for drunk driving and staying calm under this pressure is your best bet until you can contact your attorney. There are many types of DUI’s: DUI, DUI with property damage and DUI with personal injury or DUI manslaughter. In Florida, the DUI punishment becomes more severe the more serious the injury or damage is. For instance, if you are convicted of a DUI with serious bodily injury in Orlando (for instance, the other driver has a broken back as a result of the accident) then you will face a mandatory 21 months in county jail in addition to other penalties. This mandatory jail time is attached to your punishment even if it is your first DUI and you have no criminal record.
When it comes to a fatal DUI in Florida, the driver could potentially get convicted of DUI manslaughter. With this serious conviction comes a minimum sentencing guideline of four years in jail, a permanent driver’s license revocation and serious fines and penalties (not more than $10,000) from both a criminal and civil lawsuit. If convicted of DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of the accident…you guessed it, the potential fines and penalties only go up.
A DUI manslaughter charge results when an individual is arrested for driving under the influence and has also caused an accident that resulted in the death of another person. Depending on the facts of the case, an individual can be charged with either a second or first degree felony.
We know how devastating a DUI conviction can be, especially those that involve serious bodily injury or death. At Finebloom & Haenel, we help individuals with their DUI cases every day. We know the law, the courts and the best defenses to help you get the results you are looking for. Give us a call today for an obligation-free consultation on your case. We are available 24/7 and look forward to hearing from you soon!
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