18-year-old facing felony DUI charges

 Posted on August 19, 2011 in Felony DUI

The California Highway Patrol announced Wednesday that an 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter stemming from allegations surrounding a Saturday evening car accident. Law enforcement says they believe the 18-year-old lost control of a Jeep while traveling on Tassajara Road just after 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The Jeep reportedly rolled several times after leaving the pavement.

The California Highway Patrol says they are requesting felony DUI charges to be filed in relation to the accident. Authorities say a 19-year-old Carmel Valley resident was killed in the roll-over accident and a second passenger was severely injured. Neither passenger was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, according to the CHP. A third passenger, who was wearing a seat belt reportedly, suffered minor injuries in the incident, according to the CHP.

Law enforcement says the man accused of driving at the time of the accident crawled up the embankment after the crash to get a signal on his cellphone. The accused man reportedly called in a report of the accident after the crash.

California DUI laws allow prosecutors to seek felony level charges in cases where authorities allege a drunk driving accident caused an injury. A person need not have any prior driving offenses on their record to potentially face a felony DUI if an injury producing accident is involved.

Any DUI charge can lead to serious consequences and it is important for Central Coast residents accused of DUI offenses to consult with an experienced DUI attorney to protect their constitutional rights in a criminal case.

Source: Contra Costa Times, "Driver, 18, arrested after fatal Carmel Valley crash," Aug. 17, 2011