A Tampa man, plead guilty to DUI manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, after he hit and killed a 84 year old, decorated World War II Army veteran. He had been set to start trial, but pled guilty on the eve of the trial.
The vehicle struck a scooter on the left side and wedged it underneath the right front bumper of the pickup truck he was driving. The driver's blood-alcohol level of 0.348 was four times the legal limit under Florida law. According to police, who already had a 1992 driving under the influence conviction, traveled 146.6 feet before reacting to the crash.
Commenting on the seriousness of such cases, the assistant state attorney who prosecuted the case said; "There are so many of these cases, and judges are consistently giving maximum-term sentences on DUI manslaughter. The judges in Pinellas County are not going to tolerate people driving drunk and hurting and/or killing people."
The victim was a World War II army veteran who took part in the invasion of Normandy. He went into the army as a private in 1942 as a member of the 101st Airborne Division, air dropped into enemy territory in the dark of night after midnight on June 6, 1944. The plan was for the soldiers to land 10 miles inland from Omaha beach pending the arrival of reinforcements. Many of the soldiers in the unit landed off target and got separated while some drowned in the English Channel. He was shot in the leg and received the Purple Heart and was awarded a Bronze Star with a V for valor.
The daughter of the victim commented on the sentence, "It keeps a lot of people safe. I'm pleased. He's 61 now and suffered a stroke through his alcoholism. He'll never walk out of prison."
When faced with serious DUI charges that include manslaughter, it is imperative to retain experienced and aggressive DUI Criminal Defense lawyers to conserve your constitutional rights and compass the best possible outcome.
Musca Law provides experienced DUI and Criminal Defense Attorneys who investigate exhaustively to build an effective case for their clients. Do not plead guilty to any DUI charge. You do not have to answer any questions outside of your name and address. You do not have to state that you were drinking. You do not have to be subjected to any form of sobriety testing from breathalyzer to roadside field tests. Simply be polite, provide accurate documents and call Musca Law. Being arrested does not mean that you will be convicted!
