A Georgia man has been arrested and faces multiple criminal charges after allegedly crashing a car with two children inside, leaving them at the scene and running away. One of the children died in the hours following the accident, and the other child suffered serious injuries. After a police search that lasted 12 hours, the man was taken into custody and charged with DUI, vehicular homicide and several other charges. Police say he was high on drugs at the time of the crash.
Reports indicate that the man did not have the children restrained properly in the vehicle at the time he lost control of the vehicle, left the road and struck a culvert. Additionally, his driver’s license was suspended. In the aftermath of the accident, he allegedly fled the scene. All of these factors are included among his criminal charges.
As the children were being transported to the hospital for their injuries, police began searching for the accused. He was apprehended later that night. The man required treatment for injuries he sustained in the crash before being booked the following day into the Polk County Jail. Records from the Georgia Department of Corrections indicate that he was convicted of four prior felonies. He was on probation at the time the accident occurred.
Given the nature of this particular incident and his prior criminal record, the accused likely faces an uphill battle in court. He may benefit from having a legal team that can examine all aspects of the investigation and the evidence in order to put together a strong defense strategy against the DUI and other criminal charges. Regardless of the outcome in this case, the defense would do well to ensure that his legal rights are upheld at all times during the proceedings.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “GSP: Man was DUI in wreck that killed 6-year-old,” Alexis Stevens, Aug. 5, 2013