RSSThanks to Southern California’s famously mild climate, pedestrians and bicyclists are a presence on local roads all year long. Motorists have to be particularly careful to watch out for walkers, joggers and riders, since even a simple collision can have deadly and far-reaching results.
Recently in Pomona, a 25-year-old man was driving on Garey Avenue during the early morning hours when he reportedly rear-ended a man on a bicycle. Paramedics rushed to the scene, attempted to save the cyclist and transported him to a hospital for treatment. Tragically, the bike rider succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Police arrested the Chino Hills driver for DUI as well as vehicular manslaughter. According to a Pomona police officer, evidence at the scene led authorities to suspect drunk driving. When an officer conducts a traffic stop, there are several types of evidence that can lead the officer to suspect intoxication and thus further test for even more evidence – such as checking a suspect’s blood alcohol content level. Bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, incoherence and sluggish motor skills are all signs that a person may have been drinking.
Some of these signs may be triggered by other causes, however. Certain medications may produce side effects similar to those of intoxication, while extreme nervousness or unfamiliarity with the English language can also cause a person to appear to be in an altered state.
The statements made by a suspect at the time of a traffic stop can also lead to an arrest. If a driver admits to drinking before getting behind the wheel, or tells an officer they had several drinks earlier in the day, these admissions can become highly incriminating later on.
When a DUI arrest coincides with a charge of vehicular manslaughter, the suspect is facing much more than the threat of a license suspension. One can be charged with vehicular manslaughter even if the bicyclist or pedestrian they struck passes away later on, rather than immediately at the scene of an accident.
Contact the Law Offices of Jonathan I. Kelman at 310.286.1218 for a free initial consultation.