When a person is accused of a crime, he or she often has no idea how to respond. Additionally, the individual may be unclear about applicable constitutional rights, making it difficult to recognize and respond to unlawful treatment at the hands of police officers or prosecutors. Unfortunately, a man in Missouri may be confused about his options after a crash resulted in accusations of DWI.
The accident that led to his arrest happened on a day in early January. Police have accused the 25-year-old man of speeding when he allegedly drove onto the sidewalk and struck two female pedestrians. An officer claims that the man then fled the scene, leaving behind the two victims who he says suffered serious injuries.
The officer further claims that the driver came to a stop when he struck another vehicle in the rear. He argues that he could smell alcohol on the man who he said also demonstrated signs of intoxication, including slurred speech and issues with his balance. Reports indicate that the alleged driver’s blood alcohol content was significantly over the legal limit.
In addition to the DWI accusations, the defendant was also charged with leaving the scene of a crash. Because of the charges, he will likely need to make several decisions in the coming weeks and months that could significantly impact the rest of his life. To ensure that the Missouri man is fully prepared to make these decisions, he may opt to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney to ensure that he has the necessary information to ensure that the choices he makes are informed. With such legal help, those facing criminal accusations often feel more confident in the choices they make as they go through the justice system.
Source: stltoday.com, “Drunken driver nearly 3 times legal limit when he hit girls on St. Louis sidewalk, charges say“, Joel Currier, Jan. 9, 2018