A motorist who was involved in a recent Illinois accident has been taken into custody for drinking and driving. The alleged DUI accident led to the death of a pedestrian. The crash took place on a day in late October.
According to police, the collision occurred at about 11:30 p.m. Authorities said the fatal accident victim was walking along Illinois Route 159. All of a sudden, a nearby driver reportedly hit him or her.
The driver who police said struck the pedestrian contacted police following the crash. In addition, he or she remained at the accident scene and was cooperative. Police confirmed the DUI charges on a recent Monday.
Facing a DUI charge can understandably be frightening, especially if a reported drunk driving incident led to someone else’s death. A DUI conviction in this scenario will lead to time behind bars and make it difficult for the defendant to claim certain jobs in the future. However, just because someone is accused of drinking and driving does not mean he or she is immediately guilty, as prosecutors must prove such a charge beyond a reasonable doubt at trial before a conviction can happen in Illinois. Rather than going to trial, however, the defendant may opt to pursue negotiations for a plea deal, which might result in a lighter charge and thus a more lenient sentence than what would result from a finding of guilt at trial. An attorney will push for the most personally favorable outcome, considering the circumstances surrounding one’s case.
Source: ksdk.com, “Driver in fatal pedestrian crash near Collinsville charged with DUI“, Sam Clancy, Oct. 23, 2017