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Michigan DUI Vehicular Manslaughter

In Michigan, a person may be charged with vehicular manslaughter if he or she causes the death of another person while operating while intoxicated (OWI). As a felony offense, the punishment for Michigan OWI vehicular manslaughter includes long-term imprisonment in addition to other serious penalties. With so much at stake, having an experienced defense lawyer on your side is imperative if you have been charged with this crime.

Potential Penalties

If convicted of Michigan OWI vehicular manslaughter, you could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison as well as expensive fines and a lifetime license revocation. Your felony conviction will also be reported on your criminal record, causing difficulty when applying for employment, schools, and housing. As a convicted felon, you will be barred from voting or even owning a gun.

In an OWI vehicular manslaughter case, the prosecution must prove that the defendant caused the accident that resulted in death and that he or she was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. While it may seem like winning an OWI vehicular manslaughter case is impossible, it can be done with the right defense lawyer on your side.

How a Lawyer Can Help

Your lawyer can consult with an accident reconstruction specialist to collect evidence about the events that led to the collision. This may include returning to the scene to look for tire marks, interviewing eye witnesses, and examining the vehicles to determine if any parts were faulty. If this specialist finds that you were not responsible for the crash, this can go a long way in proving your defense.

An attorney experienced with OWI will also have the training and background necessary to review your blood alcohol content (BAC) results. If the breathalyzer machine was not maintained or calibrated according to the manufacturer specifications or the officer did not administer the test correctly, your lawyer may be able to successfully challenge this evidence. If he or she can prove that you were not intoxicated, your case could be dismissed or your charges may be reduced.

Because it takes a long time to investigate a “causing death or serious injury” drunk driving case, it often takes a long time before your breath or blood is tested.  The prosecutor is likely to call a witness to relate this later test to the time of driving.  This is called retrograde extrapolation.  It is important to select a lawyer who is well trained and who understands alcohol metabolism and can fight against this retrograde extrapolation evidence.

Building a Defense

At The Barone Defense Firm, we handle Michigan OWI vehicular manslaughter cases with compassion. With years of experience in OWI defense, we have helped many citizens obtain a favorable outcome for their case. Offering reasonable attorney fees, we also provide a number of payment plan options so you can have skilled representation on your side during this time.