If you know you face the legal fight of your life, you’ve come to the right place to learn more about what you should do next. Vehicular manslaughter is a very serious charge. It is also a charge that has life-changing consequences. Understanding the definition of the crime is critical to mounting your defense. Knowing the penalties, you are facing is vital for your mental well-being. There is no good way to go through what you are about to, but there is a smart way. If you’ve been charged with vehicular homicide, it’s important to know what that means.
You also need to know the penalties that come attached to the charge. Please keep reading to learn more about what legal ramifications you are facing.
What is Vehicular Homicide?
The legal of vehicular homicide can be different from state to state. In Minnesota, the Penal Code states a vehicular homicide felony is when you operate a vehicle in a grossly negligent manner. Or you killed someone by operating a vehicle while being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
You can also face a vehicular homicide charge if you kill someone with your car and leave the scene of the crime. One of the first things you should do if you are facing a charge of vehicular homicide is to find a knowledgeable and experienced defense lawyer. There are times when an experienced defense lawyer can get your charges dropped.
Understanding the definition of the crime is critical to mounting your defense. Knowing the penalties, you are facing is vital for your legal strategies. You increase your chances of having a favorable legal outcome by hiring a knowledgeable defense lawyer.
Negligent Vehicular Homicide
When you are operating a vehicle and displaying negligence or gross negligence, there are serious criminal ramifications. Grave or gross negligence is the absence of care. It’s important to remember the absence of care or gross negligence means different things to different people.
That means individual jury members may find that they had no idea your motor vehicle was defective before a fatal accident. Sometimes jury members believe a defense attorney who states the defendant is not guilty because of a relatable reason.
Juries want to understand the accident and the vehicular death. Juries can believe a defendant who testifies they didn’t know prescription medicine causes driving issues.
Vehicular Homicide by Intoxication
A vehicular homicide by intoxication can result in a doing serious time in prison.Nationally, the cause of 28% of fatalities is impaired drivers. These are drivers of vehicles who drive above the legal limit of alcohol.
Or drivers who are taking drugs that have directly impaired their abilities and judgment. Having the right attorney for something as serious as negligent or vehicular homicide can make a big difference in your case. It can mean the difference between getting your addiction treated or going to prison for a very long time.
Criminal Vehicular Homicide in Minnesota
In Minnesota, they have very detailed legal definitions for the crime of vehicular homicide as well as the penalties. If a person is guilty in Minnesota of criminal vehicular homicide, they face up to ten years in prison, up to a $20,000 fine, or both. Minnesota provides further detail by providing a breakdown of other vehicular homicide criteria.
A vehicular homicide occurred due to driving in a grossly negligent manner. If a vehicular homicide occurs due to driving in a negligent manner while under the influence. The influence can be driving and using alcohol, a controlled substance, or a combination.
Vehicular Homicide and Intoxicating Controlled Substances
If the vehicular homicide occurs due to an alcohol concentration of .08 or more within two hours of driving. You are negligent of vehicular homicide if you are under the influence of an intoxicating substance. Every intoxicating controlled substance is on Schedule I or II or its metabolite other than marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol.
If you cause a collision and leave the collision scene, you can face vehicular homicide charges.
Vehicular Homicide Lawyer
There are a couple of additional criteria that also meet the crime of vehicular homicide. Yet all vehicular homicide conditions have a common denominator. The common denominator is gross negligence or the absence of even slight care.
If you or someone you love is charged with vehicular homicide, you need the most knowledgeable and experienced attorney legally defending you. By hiring the best defense attorney as soon as possible, you give yourself the best chance of a decent future. It’s the only way to optimize the chances of a favorable legal result.
One of the legal strategies an experienced defense attorney uses is by hiring an accident reconstructionist. An accident reconstructionist can determine what factors contributed to or caused the vehicular death. In addition to accident reconstructionists, an experienced defense attorney will have beneficial experts to explain the defendant’s case.
Your Next Step
When you’re ready to take your first step or next to one, you need an experienced and knowledgeable attorney by your side. An exemplary defense attorney will help you hire an investigator, a toxicologist, cell phone forensic specialist, and more. Reach out to defense attorney Timothy D. Webb when you need your questions answered with a defense strategy you believe in.
You may never be able to go back in time and change your past, but you can find a new future. It may not be the future you envisioned, but by using one of the best defense attorneys, you give yourself a chance. The legal skills, knowledge, and experience of defense attorney Timothy D. Webb give you a chance to go down a new path.
You have one chance when dealing with vehicular homicide, and that is through a stellar defense. Through Timothy D. Webb’s legal skills, you’ll be able to chart a new course for yourself.
