Being accused of DUI in the state of Georgia can interrupt one’s life in numerous ways, especially if the accused individual is a government employee. Recently, a Public Works Department employee was arrested and accused of DUI after being involved in a fatal car accident. The government worker was driving in a city-owned vehicle at the time the incident occurred.
According to a spokesperson for the city of Atlanta, police have accused the Georgia worker of driving under the influence. The worker has also been charged with failing to maintain one’s lane of traffic and vehicular homicide. The employee’s identity, however, has not yet been released.
When the city-owned truck overturned, the driver was not the only person riding in the vehicle. Tragically, a passenger who was also riding in the truck was killed in the incident. The passenger was also an employee of the Public Works Department.
At this time, the allegations brought against the driver are nothing more than that, allegations and charges that have yet to be proved in a court of law. The driver will have the opportunity to defend himself against the claims and, in the best of outcomes, get certain or all of the charges dropped. Charges of vehicular homicide, especially when combined with DUI, come with the threat of jail time should a conviction actually be secured. Nevertheless, there is a substantial difference between an accusation of criminal conduct and a conviction after trial. As this case works its way through the Georgia criminal justice system, the accused man will be protected by the presumption of innocence at every stage of the proceedings.
Source: dailyjournal.net, City of Atlanta employee driving public works truck in fatal crash will be charged with DUI, No author, Nov. 6, 2013