According to the Orange County Register, 22-year-old Downey resident Kenneth McNair was convicted yesterday of vehicular manslaughter by unlawful act with gross negligence while intoxicated, a felony under California Law. He was also convicted of driving without a valid driver's license, which is also a misdemeanor. McNair tried to flee the scene of the crime, which is a sentence enhancement. He faces up to 15 years in jail, and will be sentenced on January 29, 2009 in Santa Ana.
On November 15, 2008 McNair left a restaurant in Huntington Beach with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) level of at least 0.25%, over three times the legal limit. He was driving about 75-80 mph in a 45 mph zone when he slammed into the back of a Ford Mustang, which was waiting at a red light for the signal to change. The Mustang burst into flames, and the driver, 20 year old Jose Pacheco, died at the scene.
Gross vehicular manslaughter is an extremely serious crime under California Law, and convictions can lead to lengthy jail terms. According to California Penal Code Section 191.5(a), "Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, in the driving of a vehicle, where the driving was in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, and the killing was either the proximate result of the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, and with gross negligence, or the proximate result of the commission of a lawful act that might produce death, in an unlawful manner, and with gross negligence."
If you have been arrested for a DUI/DWI, drunk driving crime, or charges such as gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, it is absolutely imperative that you contact the best Orange County DUI Defense Attorney possible. Our Southern California DUI Defense lawyers at Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti have over ten years of experience defending clients from DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter cases.
At Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti, our Southern California criminal defense attorneys have successfully represented hundreds of clients accused of felony DUI charges or vehicular Manslaughter cases throughout Southern California, Orange County, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Laguna Beach, Irvine, Tustin, Fullerton, Westminster, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and San Diego..
How can an Orange County DUI Defense Attorney help your DUI Defense in Orange County?
The Southern California DUI Defense attorneys at Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti specialize in the area of DUI/DWI defenses, as well as more complex cases involving gross vehicular manslaughter, such as the case noted above. We have represented numerous clients in various types DUI cases, from misdemeanor DUI charges (such as first time offenders, second time DUI offenders), to more serious felony DUI charges (such as repeated DUI charges or vehicular manslaughter cases). Orange County DUI Defense Attorney Michael Guisti has successfully represented hundreds of clients who have been charged with various DUI offenses, including cases where he has gotten the charges reduced or dismissed.
If you have recently been arrested in for DUI/DWI while driving in Orange County, we urge you to contact one of our skilled Orange County DUI defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti immediately at 714-530-9690 for a free initial consultation.
