The accused in a fatal Suffolk County DWI crash faces jail time

Those who are accused of vehicular assault in New York can face the potential for harsh, long-term penalties. Vehicular assault charges are very serious and can escalate into more severe charges very quickly, especially if the accused was intoxicated when the assault occurred.

A Suffolk County man faces second-degree murder charges resulting from a June 2012 accident in which an 18-year-old woman was killed. According to police, the accused was driving around 100 mph, ran a few red lights, drove on sidewalks and knocked down street signs before slamming into the back of the 18-year-old woman’s SUV. The accused’s blood alcohol content was four times the legal limit during this incident, according to police.

This is the first Suffolk County case of this sort in 14 years. The trial began in mid-October and it could continue for over a month. The accused has pleaded not guilty, but if he is convicted he could face time in jail of a maximum of 25 years to life.

Felony DWI charges are often brought when a DWI driver causes bodily harm or death to another person. Murder charges are rare in drunk driving cases, but vehicular assault, vehicular manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide are common charges brought after a fatal DWI accident. Large fines are also ordinarily levied in DWI cases.

Anyone accused of vehicular assault is entitled to a solid defense from an attorney with experience defending DWI cases. To minimize penalties against the accused, knowledgeable attorneys have many strategies, including evaluating the procedure and result of a field sobriety or chemical test, to find any flaws in the evidence against the accused.

Source: CBS New York, “Murder Trial Begins For Alleged Drunken Driver Michael Grasing On Long Island,” Oct. 8, 2014