A tragic accident that occurred two days after Christmas has led to criminal charges. According to a report from NJ.com, a 23-year-old Pennsylvania woman has been charged with a number of crimes for her role in the accident that killed one person and injured several others.
The woman was driving east on Interstate 80 in Hardwick Township, New Jersey in the early hours of December 27 when she crashed her car into another vehicle travelling westbound. It is alleged that the woman was driving the wrong way on the freeway, which led to the head-on collision. The driver of the car she hit was pronounced dead at the scene, while two other passengers in the vehicle were taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
After a short investigation into the crash, the woman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Police declined to comment on her actual blood alcohol level; instead simply indicating that it was above the legal limit of .08. The woman, who surrendered to authorities yesterday, faces one count of vehicular homicide and three counts of assault by vehicle. The homicide charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, while the assault charge carries up to 18 months in prison along with a fine of up to $10,000. She remains in custody, and it remains to be seen whether she will post bail and be released pending trial.
We find this story important because it is an example of where a skilled criminal defense attorney can help in negotiating a plea that can help a person avoid a long prison sentence.
Source: NJ.com, “State police: wrong-way driver charged with vehicular homicide,” Emily Cummins, January 23, 2014