A Virginia man was arrested after striking two pedestrians with his sport utility vehicle on a sidewalk in Clarendon. The 49-year-old man is now facing DUI maiming charges, a Class 6 felony, which could result in him spending years in prison if he is convicted. Generally, the crime is punishable with a minimum of one to five years in prison.
A witness of the tragic accident said that he saw it happen while standing in front of the restaurant he manages. He said that the man was so intoxicated that he could hardly stand up when he exited his vehicle. Later, after firefighters arrived, passersby tended to him while emergency responders tried to free a victim who had been trapped beneath the vehicle.
The woman who was struck suffered internal injuries and broken bones, but her injuries were not fatal, and authorities expect her to recover. The other person who was hit was fortunate to escape with minor injuries. While it is excellent news that no one died in this unfortunate collision, it will no doubt take time for the victims to recover from their injuries.
No information has been released about whether the accused driver in this case has obtained a criminal defense lawyer, but if he hopes to successfully navigate his criminal proceedings, he may want to consider obtaining one. Even if the evidence against an accused Virginia driver appears to be strongly in favor of conviction, a lawyer will be able to construct a criminal defense strategy with the aim of lessening the severity of the accused person’s punishments as much as possible.
Source: ARL Now, “SUV Driver Charged With DUI in Clarendon Sidewalk Crash,” Oct. 05, 2016