The recent arrest and imprisonment of a Wisconsin man paints the upsetting picture of just how bad a person's legal problems can become after being accused of drunk driving.
The man was driving his pick-up truck in the early hours of the morning near Hainesville when the truck allegedly left the road, hit a sign and then crashed into a townhome complex. The impact of the truck hitting the structure caused a gas line running to the property to burst and a fire to start. Though no one in the townhomes was injured, two homes were destroyed and a third was damaged in the fire.
Police located the driver of the pick-up truck several hours after the crash. He allegedly fled the scene of the accident and was hiding under another vehicle when authorities found him. He now faces a charge of aggravated DUI and a charge of leaving the scene of an accident that caused property damage.
The penalties associated with this man's charges are significant and he will now go to trial on the crimes he has allegedly committed. Depending upon the number, if any, of prior DUI charges he has incurred his legal options might vary.
As he awaits his trial he may opt to work with a DUI attorney to plan and execute his courtroom defense strategy. Depending upon the facts of the case he and his legal representative may be able to utilize certain affirmative defenses available in Wisconsin courts. Just like anyone else who has been charged with a crime, this man still has legal rights and opportunities to be heard in court.
Source: Daily Herald, "Trial date set for man charged in crash that sparked townhouse fire," Adam R. Bileck, Jan. 6, 2014