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Motorcyclist charged with DUI after crash kills wife

Driving while intoxicated is never a good idea, but it can be especially hazardous when the vehicle is a motorcycle. A recent accident in West Islip demonstrates the potential life-wrecking consequences of drinking and driving a motorcycle.

The driver of the motorcycle had been recently discharged from the Army, and he and his wife of two years had moved back to Long Island after his discharge. The couple was traveling on the Robert Moses Causeway, with the wife in the passenger seat. The exact cause of the accident is still being investigated, but the driver appears to have lost control of the bike near Exit 41. Both parties were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital by ambulance. The driver was treated for injuries that were not deemed to be life-threatening, but his wife was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

The driver was immediately charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, but he has not yet been arraigned on this charge, which is a misdemeanor. The fact of his wife’s death means that the intoxicated driver could potentially face charges of vehicular homicide as well.

Despite the facts of the accident, the driver of the motorcycle is entitled to be presumed innocent unless and until his guilt is proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Moreover, the evidence supporting the charge of DWI has not been disclosed. Anyone who faces a similar situation can benefit from consulting an experienced criminal lawyer. Such a consultation can provide a helpful evaluation of the circumstances, identification of defense strategies and an estimate of the likelihood of obtaining a favorable plea bargain or an outright acquittal.

Source: Newsday.com, “Motorcyclist charged with DWI after crash that kills wife in West Islip,” Lisa Irizarry and David M. Schultz, Oct. 11, 2015