A man in Lynchburg has been sentenced for a drunk driving crash that killed a woman. A news report from Sept. 21 states that the man, 49, was found guilty of multiple charges and has had his license indefinitely suspended. He has been ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $50 to the state trauma fund.
While this seems like an extreme penalty, the man had originally faced 17 years in prison for the crash that took place when his vehicle crossed the center line while he attempted to pass another vehicle on a two-lane road. When he entered the opposite lane, he hit a vehicle head-on.
The crash, which took place at 5:15 p.m., killed one woman and injured two other people in a Honda Odyssey. The woman who died had blunt force trauma to her chest, while the other woman needed surgeries and plates in her leg after a tibia fracture. The 49-year-old man and his four passengers had to be treated for injuries that ranged in severity.
At the scene, the police reported that the man failed several field sobriety tests. They registered a .13 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) later that day. The man had a history of drug problems and had broken probation. Despite that, the judge ordered only 10 years of incarceration of the 17 that were possible for the man.
Drunk driving is dangerous, and as you can see above, it does affect people other than yourself in some cases. If you’re accused of drunk driving and face a trial, you can still defend yourself. Like in this case, you may be able to have penalties reduced, since this was not an intentional crime.
Source: News Advance, “Lynchburg man gets 10 years for drunken-driving wreck that killed woman,” Christopher Cole, Sep. 21, 2017
