On Nov. 4, police apprehended a New York man suspected of hitting two pedestrians with his car while intoxicated. The alleged incident took place at approximately 3:20 a.m.
According to Suffolk County authorities, numerous people were congregating in a parking lot on Union Boulevard when the defendant, age 33, struck a 33-year-old male pedestrian with his 2104 Dodge pickup truck as he attempted to pull out of the lot. Instead of stopping, the defendant kept driving and also struck his 31-year-old brother. In addition to the pedestrians, he also plowed into a storage trailer and a fence.
Both pedestrians were injured and transported to the hospital for treatment. The defendant’s brother was listed in serious condition. The defendant was also taken to the hospital for treatment. He was taken into custody and charged with drunk driving.
New York takes drunk driving charges seriously. Individuals convicted of driving while intoxicated often face serious penalties, including significant jail time, heavy fines and the loss or suspension of their driver’s license. However, just because people are charged with a crime doesn’t mean they will be convicted. With the help of a criminal defense attorney, it may be possible to successfully fight the charges and get the case dismissed from court. One way to do this might be to dispute the accuracy of any breath or field sobriety tests that were performed. However, if the case is solid, an attorney may advise negotiating for a plea bargain that allows a defendant to plead guilty to a lower charge, which could lower the penalties. For instance, first-time DWI offenders are sometimes sentenced to substance abuse treatment or community service in lieu of jail time.
Source: PIX 11, “Man arrested for DWI, allegedly struck two pedestrians on Long Island,” Nov. 4, 2017
