Drunk driving charges can seriously impact a person’s life professionally, socially, and financially. DUI charges can become even more serious when a drunk driving accident has resulted in the injury or death of another person. While not all drunk driving accidents result in vehicular homicide charges, they can lead to jail time, penalties, and other consequences if innocent bystanders or drivers are involved. In such cases, Chicago drivers may be charged with aggravated DUI, among other charges.
A 69-year-old Chicago man faces felony aggravated DUI charges and misdemeanor DUI charges after allegedly causing an accident that involved three vehicles this week. Chicago.cbslocal.com reports that Melvin Brown was driving south on the 10200 block of South Indianapolis Avenue when he allegedly hit a police car that tipped off a domino effect. The police vehicle, which was not marked and was parked for a traffic violation stop, slammed into another vehicle, and another police squad car that was assisting in the stop.
All in all, nine people were injured in the drunk driving crash, four of which were police officers. Mr. Brown was charged with felony aggravated DUI, two misdemeanor counts of DUI, and also given several traffic citations. At a hearing later in the week, Mr. Brown was ordered to be held on a $50,000 bond. His case is still pending at this time.
Illinois DUI Law
The Illinois State Police website provides a comprehensive resource as to the penalties and consequences of various DUI-related offenses. As the site reports, a person is guilty of aggravated DUI when he or she causes an accident that results in great bodily harm or permanent disfigurement of another person or persons. Under Illinois laws, aggravated DUI is a Class 4 felony crime that comes with many different penalties and consequences. First, a person convicted of aggravated DUI may face a minimum of one-year loss of driving privileges. Second, he or she is required to serve ten days in prison or complete 480 hours of community service in lieu of the term of imprisonment. Third, a person convicted of aggravated DUI may be sentenced to serve up to twelve years in prison. Lastly, he or she may face a monetary fine of up to $25,000.
It is important to note that a DUI conviction remains on a convicted person’s public driving record permanently. It is also very important to note that a second or subsequent DUI offense is an extremely serious offense, and may result in a very long term of loss of driving privileges, a lengthy prison sentence, and increased monetary penalties.
Aggravated DUI charges are seriously prosecuted in Illinois, as are all DUI-related charges. A DUI charge can wreck a person’s finances, career, and social life, and can lead to many other problems down the road. If you have been charged with violating Illinois DUI laws, your best line of defense is to immediately seek out and consult with an experienced DUI defense attorney. A DUI defense attorney knows the laws and the consequences of a DUI conviction and can help defend your case in court. Contact the experienced DUI defense attorneys at Goldman & Associates today for a confidential consultation.
