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Florida DUI Defense Attorney > Blog > DUI Defense > Woman Charged In DUI That Left Son Paralyzed

Woman Charged In DUI That Left Son Paralyzed

GavelScales

A Florida woman is facing serious charges after she caused an accident while under the influence of alcohol. According to police, the woman was driving southbound when she veered into oncoming traffic and struck an SUV head-on. She has since been charged with DUI resulting in serious bodily injury to her four-year-old son who is now paralyzed. A three-year-old boy escaped without serious injury because he was fastened into a child safety seat. The four-year-old was not. The driver also suffered injury and caused injury to the driver of the SUV. She has also been charged with DUI with children in the vehicle.

The extent of the injuries to her son are apparently catastrophic. He has suffered severe paralysis injuries from which he will never recover.

Analyzing the aggravating factors 

There are a number of aggravating factors in DUI prosecutions that could cause your simple DUI to turn into an aggravated DUI or worse. In this case, the law holds those who cause serious bodily injury to another driver or passenger more guilty than those who cause no accident at all. Even if the injured party is your own passenger and family member, you can be charged with their injury. DUI with serious bodily injury is a felony and can result in prison time.

The second aggravating factor is the presence of two children in the vehicle who are under the age of 18. The law holds those who drive under the influence more culpable when they have children in the vehicle than those who do not. That’s because you’re not only risking your own life and other driver’s, but her children as well. The law has very little mercy for those who endanger the lives of children. In this case, the woman will have to live with the fact that she paralyzed her son for the rest of her life. Every time she sees him, it will be a reminder of what she did. Further, she has legal problems to deal with.

Lastly, because one of her children was not buckled into the car seat, she will face child neglect charges. Evidence taken from the children themselves showed that the three-year-old who was discharged from the hospital was fastened into his safety seat at the time. The four-year-old was not leading to extensive and permanent injuries, nearly death. Prosecutors will provide this evidence to the court when they make their case. Along with the intoxicated driving, it will establish a pattern of carelessness toward her children that can be used to establish she is not a fit parent.

Talk to an Orlando DUI Attorney Today 

If you have been charged with DUI in the Orlando area, a lawyer can help reduce the charges against you, get the charges dismissed, or otherwise protect your future from the serious consequences that emerge from these charges. Call the Florida DUI defense lawyers at FL DUI Group today and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.

Resource:

headlinesurfer.com/content/30-vcso-deltona-woman-charged-dui-crash-paralyzed-her-4-year-old-son

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