Facing drunk driving charges is serious in any circumstances. However, if a person’s DUI charges are upgraded because a victim of the accident succumbed to his or her injuries, the situation becomes much more severe. This is the fate of a South Carolina woman who allegedly caused an accident on Feb. 13.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol reported that a 32-year-old Pelion resident was traveling on a Lexington road when she veered across the center line. She reportedly smashed head-on into a pickup truck that was occupied by a husband and his pregnant wife. Officials said they were both restrained by seat belts. Although no injuries to them were reported, the wife was rushed to a hospital because she went into premature labor.
The baby was born and placed on life support immediately after birth. Sadly, the infant passed away three days later. The alleged DUI driver was arrested after the crash, and she was charged with driving while intoxicated. However, after the death of the baby, the charges were upgraded.
During a recent court hearing, the accused DUI driver was denied bond. Those in similar circumstances typically rely upon the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney to protect their legal rights and advocate on their behalf. A South Carolina lawyer can scrutinize any drunk driving charges and the incident report to assess the procedures that were followed in determining the driver’s blood alcohol level. The information that is accumulated will form the basis of a vigorous defense aimed at achieving a favorable result in court.
Source: wncn.com, “SC crash sent woman into labor, driver facing charges after newborn dies“, Feb. 22, 2016
