Late in July, police in Nye County made an egregious mistake that led to a horrific and fatal DUI crash. Now, the culprit behind the fatal crash has been sentenced to a whopping 24-60 years in prison after causing the death of three family members.
According to reports, the driver responsible for the crash was stopped by authorities about one hour before the collision. At the initial stop, police reportedly found evidence of drug use and made statements like the suspect was “probably” under the influence. Despite that, the suspect was eventually allowed to return to the road.
One hour later, the suspect smashed into an SUV, killing a 12-year-old child and her two parents. Two other children were injured in the collision but survived. Later, the suspect fully admitted to being under the influence of both meth and opiates at the time of the crash. Further, he admitted to being an addict for years and reiterated that he told the original officers about his addiction an hour before getting into the fatal crash.
Were you aware that you could serve out such an extreme sentence for a DUI? While most DUI crimes don’t involve this type of jail time, it’s not unheard of when a fatality has occurred. In a DUI case in Las Vegas, any aggravating factors could impact your sentence. Here are a few of the types of aggravating factors in a DUI that could result in a harsher sentence:
If you have one or more of the aggravating factors listed out above, then expect to receive a harsher sentence than you would otherwise.
If you’ve been charged with a DUI in Las Vegas, then it makes sense to hire an attorney. Even a first-time offense without any aggravating factors is still taken very seriously by the courts. If you get convicted, then it’s possible that you could serve up to six months in jail. While that isn’t a common first-time sentence, a judge has the legal authority to levy it.
What’s more, any aggravating factors could make your situation much worse even if this is your first ever DUI arrest. Your potential penalties will increase, and the gravity of your situation will start to expand, too. A quality lawyer will help you understand your situation and how to best fight your charges.
Are you ready to speak one-on-one with a DUI defense attorney about your charges? Leave your contact information on our online form now or call us at (702) 623-6362 to get started on constructing a solid defense against your DUI charges.