A car accident can be a frightening incident for all of those involved. This is especially true when one party is injured, or even killed, and the other may face criminal charges stemming from the collision. A North Syracuse man is now facing drunk driving charges, as well as vehicular manslaughter, after a fatal car accident that occurred last fall.
Police say that the man was driving drunk, without any headlights on, along a local route in the town of Salina. Another driver made a left turn in front of the vehicle, claiming to have not seen the approaching car due to the lack of headlights. He died four days after the accident, due to injuries caused by the collision.
Any criminal case involving claims of a fatal drunk driving accident is a delicate matter with potentially complicating factors involved. Law enforcement officials are required to properly follow established procedures while gathering evidence of blood alcohol content and making arrests. This Syracuse man is recently returned to Onondaga County Court to respond to the pending criminal proceedings stemming from the accident. The court has granted the 59-year-old man has been given another month to consider a plea bargain offered by prosecutors.
While the details of the plea offer have not been disclosed, a conviction on the underlying charges could expose the man to a prison term of 25 years to life in prison. In view of the potentially grave consequences for a conviction, the man and his defense team will likely weigh the terms of the offer against the strength of the prosecution's evidence as he continues to seek an equitable resolution to the charges filed against him.
Source: WSYR News, "Man accused in deadly drunk-driving crash pondering plea," March 28, 2012
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