Alleged DUI Driver Accused of Causing Multi-Vehicle Crash in Atlanta

A multi-vehicle crash was reported this past weekend in the City of Atlanta. The crash reportedly involved eight vehicles and resulted in the injuries of fourteen people.

One of the drivers has been listed as the at fault driver. He has been accused of driving under the influence in Georgia and as a result causing the series of collisions. He is currently being held at the hospital in its detention center. He will be transferred to the Fulton County Jail when he is medically cleared according to authorities.

The driver is facing charges of:

• DUI in Georgia
• Reckless Driving in Georgia
• Failure to Maintain Lane in Georgia
• Following Too Closely in Georgia

As well as having no license on his person.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline one more of the charges that he is most likely facing which is serious injury by vehicle.

Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia

In O.C.G.A. § 40-6-394, serious injury by vehicle in Georgia is defined as:

Whoever, without malice, shall cause bodily harm to another by depriving him of a member of his body, by rendering a member of his body useless, by seriously disfiguring his body or a member thereof, or by causing organic brain damage which renders the body or any member thereof useless through the violation of Code Section 40-6-390 or 40-6-391 shall be guilty of the crime of serious injury by vehicle. A person convicted under this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than 15 years.

The Serious Injury by Vehicle statute does not define what constitutes a “serious injury.”  Other statutes define it as a “fractured bone, severe burns, disfigurement, dismemberment, partial or total loss of sight or hearing, or loss of consciousness.”  To be “serious,” the injury need not be permanent – a serious, temporary injury is sufficient and only needs to impair or injure the appearance of a person. 

In the past, injuries such as loss of vision in one eye, blurry vision, a two-inch scar on the forehead, broken ribs, and severe bruising have qualified as “serious.”  Whether an injury is serious is a question of fact to be determined by the jury.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been arrested for a serious traffic violation like those listed in the story above, call our offices today. Our lawyers can help you now.