DUI Suspect Arrested in Fatal Accident in Winder

Bartow County Courthouse

Winder, Ga. - According to reports out of Barrow County, a teenager was struck and killed by a DUI driver on Monday.

The Georgia State Patrol is investigating the collision. The DUI suspect was driving east on Georgia 11 when she hit the teenager as she was riding on a bicycle. The suspect was arrested on charges of DUI in Georgia.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will cover one of the offenses that the driver is also most likely facing - vehicular homicide.

Vehicular Homicide in Georgia

Georgia law O.C.G.A. §40-6-393 outlines the degrees of vehicular homicide in Georgia. A person will be charged with homicide by vehicle in the first degree when, without malice aforethought, a death is caused by the person either unlawfully passing a school bus, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude a police office, or leaving the scene of the accident. Homicide by vehicle in the second degree occurs when death results due to a violation of any other statute other than the ones specified for homicide in the first degree. 

First degree vehicular homicide is regarded as felony-grade vehicular homicide charge occurs when a death is the result of DUI or reckless driving. Convictions of felony-grade vehicular homicide may warrant up to 15 years in prison. 

In addition to penalties decided by a judge, the offender could also face a civil suit brought on by the victim's family. In a civil suit, the judge could award damages such as pain and suffering or loss of company to the victim's family. 

Furthermore, homicide by vehicle convictions can have long-term consequences. A felony conviction can make finding employment difficult as well as precluding the victim from practicing in certain professions such as teaching, the medical field, and other areas. The conviction will appear during background checks and can also affect obtaining housing or credit.

Practice Note

Call our offices today if you are facing serious traffic offenses in the state of Georgia. We can help you now.