The criminal justice system enforces much more strict penalties for DUIs when they cause serious injuries or deaths. In addition, the general public may be much less sympathetic toward alleged drunk drivers who cause crashes that kill teens and children. This is exactly what happened after a fatal DUI in Braintree, and the defendant in this case is likely to face serious penalties. This is due not to both DUI laws in Massachusetts and the stigma of innocent teen deaths. Could a DUI defense lawyer in Massachusetts help a defendant who finds themselves in this situation?
Allegedly Drunk Driver Faces Three Counts of DUI Causing Serious Bodily Injury
In December 2024, an allegedly drunk driver struck an SUV and caused various injuries to the occupants inside. Police say that this driver was operating a pickup truck and that he had veered into oncoming traffic before the impact.
One of the passengers in the SUV was an 18-year-old girl, and she suffered serious injuries that proved fatal. The driver of the SUV – also 18 – suffered serious injuries but survived after receiving treatment. The last occupant of the SUV was 21, and he was hospitalized with “serious but non-life-threatening” injuries.
The 39-year-old defendant was also hospitalized, and the authorities arraigned him from his hospital bed with various charges. These include three counts of DUI causing serious injury, reckless driving, and failing to stay in his lane.
Despite these charges, the Braintree Police reported that they were still investigating the crash in its immediate aftermath. They were assisted by the Massachussets State Police and the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office.
Charges Upgraded to Vehicular Homicide
In January of 2025, NBC Boston reported that the defendant is now facing an additional charge of motor vehicle homicide. NBC also stated that the defendant had pleaded not guilty to all of his charges so far – and that he remains free on a $5,000 bond.
His next court date is in March of 2025, and this defendant will presumably try to fight his DUI and homicide charges. In the weeks and months after the accident, various sources highlighted more personal information about the victim – including her devotion to her family. She was apparently a cheerleader at her local high school. News sources released photos of a blonde girl with blue eyes.
It is not clear how a jury will react to this incident, but the girl’s “all-American” appearance could lead to some form of bias. One has to wonder whether the jury would react similarly if the victim was an older man or a foreign immigrant. Because of this potential for bias, the defendant may be considering a bench trial.
Can a DUI Defense Attorney in Massachusetts Help?
Some DUIs trigger much worse penalties than others, and a crash resulting in the death of a teenager is a clear example of this. Regardless, defendants should expect fair and equal treatment under the law in Massachusetts. Juries may easily become biased due to the social stigma of deceased children, and experienced DUI defense attorneys in Boston could help address this. To learn more about pursuing fair unbiased treatment in court, consider contacting Edward R. Molari today.