People charged with DUI or DWAI offenses may face any number of charges based upon the severity and nature of the circumstances. Factors such as the involvement or lack thereof of other vehicles or persons, any injuries or death that resulted from the situation or the existence of any prior offenses can sometimes make the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony charge.
Denver police recently arrested a 27 year-old woman and charged her with driving under the influence and also vehicular homicide. The woman hit another car on Park Avenue West, injuring the driver and killing the passenger in the other car. The woman killed in the crash was a well-known advocate of legalizing marijuana and expanding its availability. She often cited that it was safer than alcohol. The man and woman were driving home from a concert when the accident occurred.
The woman who was arrested has on her record a prior drunk driving arrest from 2009. In that incident, she was also charged with driving with a restrained license and exceeding the speed limit through a construction zone. In this most current accident, she was driving without insurance. She is being held on an $80,000 bond at the Denver Downtown Detention Center.
Drivers who have been arrested for drunk driving in Colorado can face a myriad of consequences. Working with an experienced DUI defense attorney can be very helpful in situations like the one reported above and can help ensure that fair representation and process is allowed.
Source: Denver Post, “Victim in DUI crash was Denver marijuana activist Jennifer Friede,” Sadie Gurman, September 4, 2013