If you face drunk driving charges for a car accident in which someone died, you could face decades in prison. An intoxication manslaughter lawyer in University Park can help, protecting your legal rights and fighting for your future.
Attorney Randall Isenberg has more than 30 years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer, state district court judge, and chief felony prosecutor. We will put that background and insight to work for you.
For a free, no-obligation consultation, contact our office today at 214-696-9253.
The Penalties for Intoxication Manslaughter in University Park
When someone dies in an accident caused by drunk driving, prosecutors pursue intoxication manslaughter charges. This charge, a second-degree felony, carries penalties that include:
- $10,000 in monetary fines
- Prison sentence of 2 to 20 years
- Potential 2-year driver’s license suspension
You will also face supervised probation (known as community supervision) and hundreds of hours of community service. The judge may also require you get treatment for substance abuse and install a breath-activated ignition control device on all vehicles that you drive.
If you have prior convictions for drunk driving, or if any aggravating factors apply to your case, you will face a first-degree felony intoxication manslaughter charges, punishable as follows:
- $10,000 in monetary fines
- Prison sentence of up to 99 years or life
- Potential 2-year driver’s license suspension
Aggravating factors may include having an open container in your car, having a minor passenger (age 14 and below), and having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15 or above.
If your victim was a first responder (police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, etc.), you will also face first-degree felony intoxication manslaughter charges.
Upon conviction for intoxication manslaughter, you will have a permanent criminal record. This will interfere with many aspects of your life, potentially keeping you from getting a job, renting a home, obtaining a professional license, or getting into college. Having a felony conviction can also cost you your right to vote and own or carry a gun.
How an Intoxication Manslaughter Lawyer Can Help You
In Texas, the police and prosecutors take a harsh stance on drunk driving charges of all kinds. If someone dies in a DWI accident you caused, rest assured they will do whatever they can to make an example of you.
Because the police can make mistakes and chemical BAC testing results can be wrong, you may want to discuss your case with an intoxication manslaughter lawyer in University Park to protect your legal rights and fight for your future.
The Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg will provide services that include:
Protecting Your Legal Rights
We will ensure that the police and prosecutor do not violate your legal rights at any point during the process, ensuring you get the fair treatment and due process to which you are entitled.
Investigating the Facts of Your Case
We will obtain and analyze all evidence and information relevant to your case, in search of potential violations of your legal rights and errors that could falsely implicate you.
Negotiating With the Prosecutor
We will use any errors or rights violations to negotiate with the prosecutor. Our goals are to get your charges reduced or dismissed and to ensure you are not wrongfully convicted.
Challenging the Results of Chemical BAC Testing
Both breath and blood testing for BAC can produce erroneous results that could put you behind bars. We will carefully evaluate the circumstances surrounding your BAC testing to identify any potential problems.
Representing You at the DMV Driver’s License Suspension Hearing
Although a suspended driver’s license may be the least of your concerns, the DMV hearing provides an opportunity for us to access the prosecutor’s evidence. This provides critical insight that could help us bolster your criminal defense.
The police and prosecutor may try to convince you to enter a guilty plea in exchange for some incentive, such as a reduced prison sentence. Before you discuss your case with the other side, however, take advantage of the free consultation we provide to individuals facing intoxication manslaughter charges in University Park.
We understand how frightening this situation can be. We will be there to support you throughout the process, and fight to get the best possible outcome in your case.
Potential Legal Defense Strategies for Intoxication Manslaughter
To convict you on felony intoxication manslaughter charges, the prosecutor must demonstrate that you drove a car in a public place while legally intoxicated and, as a result, caused an accident in which someone died.
The prosecutor’s burden of proof is high, however, and we have multiple legal defense strategies that we can explore. They may include:
- Violations of your legal rights
- Errors in chemical BAC testing
- Causation of the accident
- Causation of fatal injuries
We can challenge the results of breathalyzer testing if the police have failed to maintain and calibrate the testing equipment or if the testing technician did not have the proper certification. Many substances, including medications and dental hygiene products, can cause a false positive breath test. We can challenge blood test results based on improper collection, processing, or storage of the evidence.
The prosecutor must prove that your drunk driving caused the accident in question and that the accident caused a fatality. Even if the prosecutor can prove that you drove drunk, it does not automatically prove that you caused an accident or that the accident caused the victim’s fatal injuries.
We will build the strongest possible case on your behalf and fight tirelessly to defend you against these serious criminal charges.
Consult an Intoxication Manslaughter Lawyer at No Cost
Before you make any life-changing decisions, see how an intoxication manslaughter lawyer in University Park at the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg can help you.
You do not have to face this situation alone. Call us today at 214-696-9253 to schedule your consultation.
