New York residents might be startled to hear about the case of a 34-year-old woman who was killed in a car accident by a driver accused of being over the limit. The woman was an activist who advocated legalizing marijuana in Colorado. She had spent years of her life claiming that alcohol was more dangerous than marijuana.
The woman and her boyfriend were on their way home from a concert around 1 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31, when the accident occurred on Interstate 25 in Denver. Her boyfriend was driving their vehicle when another vehicle that was driving the wrong way ran into them. The 27-year-old wrong-way driver was charged with DWI and vehicular homicide, a felony DWI charge.
According to police records, the accused woman already has one drunk driving arrest on her driving record. Therefore, the possible consequences that she faces if she is convicted of her charges could be worse.
If the woman is convicted of her charge, she could have to serve a prison sentence as well as pay fines, fees and court costs. She could also be ordered to pay restitution to the family of the woman. Additionally, her driver’s license could be revoked for a while, and she could have to serve a probation sentence and complete community service hours. A DUI attorney might be able to help her get better sentencing options by striking up a bargain with the prosecution that the woman will enroll in a substance abuse treatment program in exchange for a lighter sentence.
Source: NY Daily News, “Denver marijuana activist and mother of four killed by drunk driver“, David Knowles, September 05, 2013
