What is Vehicular Homicide?
Vehicular Homicide Lawyer in McDonough
Defendants Have an Advocate in Henry County
Car accidents are a fact of life, but sometimes they can turn deadly. Automobile manufacturers have made great strides in the last few decades in car safety, but every year over 32,000 people are killed in car crashes.
This loss of life is never easy to deal with, and so vehicular homicide is a serious charge. If you’ve been in a wreck that caused a death, you are likely feeling a gamut of emotions – fear, confusion, regret.
We understand that, and you don’t have be overwhelmed. If you or someone you love is dealing with a vehicular homicide case in McDonough, you have options.
Scott Key & Associates has the experience necessary to guide you through a complicated legal minefield. You need a team that will make sure you know exactly what charges you’re facing, keep you abreast of the plan of action, and prioritize your outcome.
In McDonough, you won’t find a better option than Scott Key & Associates.
What Exactly is Vehicular Homicide?
The state of Georgia, on average, has about 1,500 deaths from car accidents per year.
Vehicular homicide is one of the most serious traffic offenses in Georgia. It is when someone drives recklessly and causes an accident that ends the life of another person.
In Georgia, there are two different kinds of vehicular homicide – misdemeanor and felony.
Misdemeanor vehicular homicide occurs when a fatality is a result of a regular traffic offense. If you were in an accident where someone died and you were speeding, erratically changing lanes, or riding the tail of the person in front of you, you might be charged with vehicular homicide.
Felony vehicular homicide could be charged when the death is a result of a DUI, reckless driving, fleeing a police officer, or illegally passing a school bus. If you drank and got behind the wheel or were racing down Key’s Ferry Street without regard for your fellow motorists, it could lead to a felony charge.
When facing a vehicular homicide charge, you need a lawyer by your side who knows the different tactics in defending against these significant charges.
You also need a lawyer who won’t try to defend your felony vehicular homicide case like it’s a standard DUI case. At Scott Key & Associates, your case is unique. We will never propose a one-size-fits-all solution.
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Penalties for Vehicular Homicide
Losing someone you care about can be devastating, so the punishment for vehicular homicide in Georgia can also be severe.
A misdemeanor vehicular homicide case in McDonough can result in a sentence of up to a year in jail and $1000 in fines. In addition, you may have your driver’s license suspended for a minimum of 120 days.
In Georgia, there is no limited driving permit available. If convicted of misdemeanor vehicular homicide, the domino effect of losing your license can significantly hinder your ability to get to work and pay your bills.
A felony vehicular homicide case poses even more serious ramifications. The potential penalties include anywhere from three to fifteen years in prison, and you’re likely to lose your license for at least three years.
Additionally, there is the risk of being declared a Habitual Violator. If you’ve been convicted of three major offenses during a five-year period (such as DUI, operating a motor vehicle under a suspended license, or racing on highways or streets), you are likely to be looking at more severe charges.
The misdemeanor penalties for license suspension may be increased and prison time for a potential felony case jumps to five to twenty years.
The penalties in McDonough for vehicular homicide are severe. Don’t waste time when you know you need help. Contact Scott Key & Associates today.
Contact us today
schedule your free case evaluation
Potential Causes of Vehicular Homicide
- Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs
- Speeding
- Improper Lane Changes
- Street Racing
- Distracted Driving
- Passing a School Bus
Defending Vehicular Homicide
The defense of vehicular homicide begins with a simple axiom: you are innocent until proven guilty.
It is the State’s responsibility to not merely prove you were in an accident where a death occurred, but that you caused the death. Not only that, but impairment needs to be proven to upgrade the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.
A death, while difficult, does not immediately mean there is a guilty party. Car accident fatalities are tragedies, but that doesn’t mean your life should be shattered if you were not at fault.
The State had the responsibility to prove that you were reckless and we will do everything to show that this accident was just that – an accident.
If you’ve been charged with a felony vehicular homicide because of a DUI, we’ll make sure we follow the chain of command and see if the police did their due diligence in gathering necessary proof that you were under the influence.
If you were charged with misdemeanor vehicular homicide, we will work to prove that you weren’t a danger to others, that you were following traffic laws and were simply caught in the middle of an unfortunate circumstance.
Scott Key & Associates begins with the presumption of your innocence. Everyone, no matter what they did and what walk of life they’re from, deserves the best possible legal defense. Scott Key & Associates is the best McDonough has to offer.
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schedule your free case evaluation
Things to Remember If You Are Charged With Vehicular Homicide
- Call a Lawyer Immediately – The more time passes, the harder it will be for your attorney to get the facts they need to defend you properly. Is there physical evidence we need to gather? Do we need photos of the crash scene?
The more time we have to gather information and do proper research, the better. Do yourself the favor of reaching out as soon as possible.
- You May Receive Phone Calls – Private investigators, police, insurance, or news media may try to get you to talk on the record about the event. Do not do this, under any circumstance. It can only hurt your case.
Direct all such queries to your attorney. None of these parties have your best interest at heart. Your lawyers, however, are working for your freedom. Don’t handicap them by giving a quote to the press or an insurance adjustor that could be used against you.
- Stay Off the Internet – More specifically, don’t go on social media. Prosecutors and civil attorneys can subpoena your accounts. It is best to deactivate all of them before things get too far along. There will be time to tweet after this ordeal has passed.
- Do Not Reach Out to the Family of the Deceased – We know you may feel guilt for the loss of life this family has experienced, but trust that they don’t want to hear from you right now. They are grieving. Let the process work itself out.
There may be a time in the future to reach out to them, but do not do it while your attorney is working to secure your freedom. Unfortunately, such a conversation could impact your case, despite your best intentions.
Scott Key & Associates: McDonough’s Best Vehicular Homicide Defense Attorneys
Being charged with vehicular homicide can be terrifying and confusing, but when you have the team at Scott Key & Associates on your side, you can breathe easy.
We’ll throw ourselves behind your defense and make sure you are not unfairly punished for something that was not your fault.
No one gets behind the wheel expecting that they will cause a death; that’s simply not how people are. It is a harrowing and devastating experience to be involved in a wreck where someone perished.
Don’t let your life be destroyed because you were in an accident that caused a death. You have the right to move on and with the help of Scott Key & Associates, you can.
Don’t wait. Call us today at 678-610-6624