A 21 year old Boston woman was charged with several Massachusetts Drunk Driving Charges, including Vehicular Homicide by Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol, in connection with a fatal hit and run that took the life of a 63 year old woman.
According to the Boston Police Department, the defendant, who is from Dorchester, allegedly hit the woman near the intersection of Washington and Northampton Streets. The defendant is alleged to have then fled the scene. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office further alleges that the defendant was not wearing glasses at the time of the accident, which is apparently a condition of her driver’s license restriction.
The defendant was further charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident.
Vehicular Homicide by OUI / DUI in Massachusetts is the negligent and reckless operation of a motor vehicle while under the of alcohol or drugs and which results in the death of another. The punishment upon conviction for vehicular homicide by operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a minimum sentence of 2.5 years and up to 15 years in state prison; and a minimum of 1 year and up to 2.5 years in the house of corrections.
Meanwhile, the motor vehicle crime of Leaving the Scene of an Accident After Causing Death punishes those who leave the scene of an accident where death resulted and without leaving their identity, address and registration information.
Leaving the scene of an accident after causing death is punishable by not less than 1 year and up to 2.5 years in the house of corrections; or not less than 2.5 years and up to 10 years in state prison.
Obviously, the purpose of this statute is to identify those operators who were involved in an accident, particularly those resulting in the death of another person. Massachusetts law imposes an active duty on every driver to stop at the scene of an accident and offer their identifying and vehicle information.
Boston Criminal Lawyer Lefteris K. Travayiakis is available 24/7 for consultation on all Massachusetts OUI / DUI Charges, including Vehicular Homicide by DUI / OUI.
To schedule a Free Consultation, Click Here to Contact a Massachusetts DUI / OUI Lawyer or call 617-325-9500 to speak with Attorney Lefteris K. Travayiakis directly.