A Montgomery County Man Is Sentenced to 25 Years for DUI Death
May 18, 2018
A Montgomery County, Virginia, man will be spending many years behind bars after pleading guilty to a multitude of different charges stemming from his arrest for driving under the influence (DUI) back on July 4. The incident that resulted in the charges being filed against the man occurred along the portion of Interstate 81 that runs through Montgomery County.
That holiday, the defendant has apparently been operating his Ford Expedition as he drove northbound along the highway. He'd only made it a short distance past the Christiansburg exit when he apparently struck a disabled tractor-trailer that had parked along the interstate's shoulder.
An investigative report in the matter shows that the tractor-trailer operator had taken upon himself to put both flares and cones out nearby where he'd pulled over in hopes of keeping other motorists away.
The trucker's efforts apparently didn't help the defendant miss the semi. The impact of the crash claimed the defendant's passenger in an instant.Investigators later determined that the defendant was likely intoxicated at the time of the crash. He was placed under arrest for his third DUI at the crash scene. They also found an disclosed Schedule II controlled substance in the man's vehicle.
While prosecutors initially considered charging the man with felony murder for his passenger's death, they ultimately decided to try him for involuntary manslaughter, DUI and drug possession instead.
A judge sentenced him to 25 years in prison. That sentence will be suspended, however, after he spends nine years in lock up.
If you've convicted of drunk driving, especially if it's coupled with drug or other charges, then it's likely that you'll be spending a significant amount of time in prison. In learning more about the circumstances surrounding your arrest, a Christiansburg DUI defense attorney can advise you of your rights in your own legal matter.
Source: NBC 10 News, "Driver in fatal I-81 crash pleads guilty to manslaughter, third DUI, drug charge," Heather Butterworth, May 02, 2018