When Is A DUI A Felony In New Jersey?
Causing a fatality while driving drunk is a felony that can lead to extensive time in prison. DUI manslaughter / vehicular homicide is a crime of the second degree and can lead to 5-10 years in prison and up to $150,000 in fines. Beyond jail time, a felony is a serious charge that can affect a person for his or her entire life.
Assault By Auto Or Vessel And Aggravated Assault
Causing death is not the only way someone can be charged with felony DUI. Anytime someone is hurt in a DUI accident, the alleged drunk driver can face felony charges, including assault by auto and aggravated assault charges.
Assault by auto or vessel can be charged whenever a person drives recklessly and causes serious bodily injury to someone else.
When DUI assault by auto causes a serious injury, it is a third-degree crime, which can land an alleged drunk driving in jail for up to five years. When the injury is not serious, the accused drunk driver would face a fourth-degree offense and up to 18 months in jail.
There has been a climate change in criminal court regarding DUI. The penalties are becoming stricter and there has been a strong push to make all DUI charges criminal.
That is why it is particularly important to have an aggressive DUI defense lawyer on your side if you are accused of injuring or killing someone while driving drunk.
Need Legal Help? John W. Tumelty Will Fight For Your Rights
If you or a loved one has been charged with a DUI or other crime, speak with a skilled, experienced lawyer who is passionate about protecting the rights of his clients.
John W. Tumelty has 30 years of experience in criminal law and knows exactly how to best position his clients. He will meet with you, for free, to discuss your specific case and put his experience to work for you.
Contact him today to learn more about your option for avoiding jail time or for getting your charges reduced. Tumelty has offices in Marmora, Somers Point, and Atlantic City NJ and represents clients from all over Atlantic and Cape May counties and beyond.
Contact Experienced Attorney John Tumelty And Discuss Your Charges
This article and other articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
