An unfortunate accident late last year ended in the deaths of 5 migrant workers on their way to work.
The alleged at-fault driver was 67 year old Nokomis resident Ewing Alfred Saunders. Saunders has just been charged with 5 counts of DUI manslaughter in connection with the accident and is now being held without bond.
This Herald Tribune article gives a good explanation as to why it took so long for the charges to be handed down. They explain that the state prosecutor and law enforcement treat DUI related deaths as they would any murder, carefully gathering evidence and building a case.
The prosecution and law enforcement understand that the defendant’s attorney will be looking for any gaps in the case, including mishandled evidence in order to help their client.
Saunders’ blood alcohol level immediately following the accident was .11 percent. The legal limit in Florida and most states in the country is .08. But, as they point out, cases like this typically need more than the blood alcohol level to get a conviction.
Facing DUI charges is not all that uncommon. Facing charges for DUI manslaughter is. While I sincerely hope you are not in this deep of legal trouble, if you are, I can help.
A simple 1st time DUI charge can land you with jail time, probation, license suspension, car impoundment, DUI classes, and fines. As your offenses pile up so does the penalties.
For a 4th offense DUI you could be looking at felony charges and as many as 5 years in prison.
When facing any kind of criminal charge, including DUI, you want to be certain you have an experienced and aggressive defense attorney fighting for you in court. Let’s talk about your case and see what we can do together.