Alcohol Impaired Driving and Crashing into Homes

Many cases involving alcohol impaired driving end in a collision. The impaired driver may strike another car, truck, or motorcycle, and may even strike a pedestrian or bicyclists. Some of these collisions, however, end with the impaired driver crashing into a home. The inhabitants of the home are often injured or even killed.

National and State DWI Fatalities Statistics

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) every day 28 people in the United States die in car crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. They calculate that every 53 minutes one person dies in such collisions. In Texas, 1,323 people died following DWI crashes in 2013, the year the most recent statistics are available. Unfortunately, nationwide Texas is a leader in deaths caused by alcohol impaired drivers. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) reports that in 2013 there were 64,971 DWI arrests in Texas and 71,030 DWI convictions in Texas.

DUI Laws in Texas

Operating a motor vehicle in Texas with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level of .08% and above is illegal. While the first charge is usually a misdemeanor, multiple prior convictions will be upgraded to felony level offenses, triggering longer jail time and fees. When the alcohol impaired driver crashes and kills another person, the driver will also face vehicular homicide charges. If a victim dies, the alcohol impaired driver will be charged with vehicular homicide regardless of whether the actions were intentional or negligent.

Illustrative Examples

The following two examples are from true life cases of recent DWI/DUI car crashes in Florida and California that ended in someone’s home.

In Florida, a surveillance video showed a man leaving a club and getting into his truck. The man failed to put his seat belt on and properly close the driver’s side door. The man drove off and fell out of his truck and onto the road. The truck continued to move and ran over the man’s legs. The truck came to a stop after crashing into a home with a female occupant.

The woman was injured but recovered from her injuries without lasting medical problems. Her home was destroyed. After the crash, the man fled the scene of the crash. He was later identified by club personnel who tried to stop him from driving away from the club because he was intoxicated. The man also left his driver’s license in the club, helping law enforcement find him following the collision.The man was charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

In California over Thanksgiving weekend, a 23-year-old woman crashed into a wall and into an apartment building injuring a 5-year-old boy, his mother, and two stepsisters. The boy died from his injuries a couple of days later. At the scene of the crash, the female driver was charged with driving under the influence. Because the boy died, she will face the additional charge of vehicular homicide.

Hire a Texas DWI Defense Firm

If you or someone you know has been charged with DWI in the Plano or Denton areas of Texas contact The Law Office of Kimberly Griffin Tucker, P.C. Our team of experienced lawyers and legal professionals will provide information, analyze your case and recommend a prompt solution to your DWI matter, including trial if necessary.

(image courtesy of Martin Addison)