Defendants facing charges for driving while impaired have good reason to want to understand how the law works in a situation where fatalities occur. There are often harsher penalties for drivers who find themselves facing DWI charges and have to face vehicular manslaughter charges as well.
Such is the case for one driver who was allegedly driving under the influence during a recent three-car accident.
Two killed during fatal crash
According to WBTW News 13, the Wilson Police Department responded to the multiple vehicle accident on Thursday evening, just before 8 p.m. Police have not released the details of the crash, other than that one of the drivers is facing charges for driving while impaired.
Four people sustained serious injuries as a result of the collision. A passenger from one of the vehicles died at the scene of the accident, and the driver of the same vehicle died on the way to a nearby hospital. Both the driver and passenger in the third vehicle received treatment at the hospital for nonlife-threatening injuries. The news report did not say whether the arrested driver sustained any injuries.
Factors may increase penalties
Causing an injury or fatality accident is not the only type of aggravating factor in a North Carolina DWI case. Prior DWI convictions, minors in the vehicle or a blood alcohol content over 0.15% may also lead to more serious penalties. For aggravated DWI, these may include incarceration up to three years, fines as high as $10,000, suspension of driving privileges for up to four years, an ignition interlock device and regular chemical tests to ensure abstinence.
