A 23 year old medical student at Eastern Virginia Medical School was killed in the early AM hours of April 24, 2016 in a DUI wreck, by a 39 year old Virginia Beach man. This week, he received a sentence of a total of 11 years with five years suspended, after hours of tearful testimony on both sides.
The woman, who was also a former basketball player for Virginia Wesleyan, was in the vehicle of her boyfriend that tragic night. They were going west on East Princess Anne Road in Virginia Beach when they stopped at a red light. It was at that point that the 39 year old drunk driver slammed into their car. The driver of the second vehicle received minor injuries, and another passenger in the same car broke a leg. But the 23 year old was killed upon impact.
The drunk driver had a BAC of .07, which is under the threshhold in Virginia to be legally intoxicated. However, the prosecutor stated that if the case went to trial, experts would have testified that his BAC was probably closer to .10 to .13 at the time of the wreck.
During the sentencing, the judge Jack Doyle stated that the case showed just how evil drunk driving is, noting that its randomness threatens everyone who uses the public roads.
Character witnesses for the drunk driver told the judge that the man had completely broken down after the accident when he learned of the consequences. They also stated that he has only shown remorse since the fatal Virginia Beach DUI crash.
Our View
At least 28 people die in DUI crashes every day in America. As Virginia Beach drunk driving attorneys ourselves, we are truly saddened that yet another young life has been lost due to drunk driving. There is no excuse at all to get behind the wheel of a car after you have been drinking. Our personal injury attorneys have represented many people who have been injured by drunk drivers. We also have represented their grieving families in wrongful death lawsuits.
We are glad that the drunk driver in this case has been sentenced to significant prison time. But this will not bring back the dead. We really wish that all people who drink would think about the consequences if they decide to drive. It is never worth it.
A conviction in a fatal DUI crash leads to years of jail, and a permanent felony record. It also can lead to a wrongful death lawsuit that can cost the defendant millions of dollars. We hope that this DUI case serves as a warning to all drivers.
One Comment
Marvin Doupel
Despite having seen so many causalities due to drunk driving, there are lots of people who still drink and drive. This man was 39 years old, old enough to realize the ramification of such a behavior.
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