When a person was driving while intoxicated and caused a fatal crash because of his or her intoxication, it is very likely that he or she will be charged with either intoxicated manslaughter or intoxicated murder.
If you have been affected by a fatal car crash in the state of Ohio, it is important that you take the time to learn about how crashes caused by drug or alcohol intoxication are charged.
What is intoxicated manslaughter?
When a person is intoxicated while driving a vehicle and causes a fatal crash as a result, it is likely that they never intended to end a person’s life. However, because of their highly irresponsible actions, a person’s life was lost, and if they had fulfilled their duty to drive safely and without being intoxicated, a person would not have died. Therefore, this person will likely be charged with intoxicated manslaughter. This charge may be determined to be ordinarily negligent or grossly negligent depending on the actions that led up to the incident.
When is a wrongful death classed as intoxicated murder?
When a person is charged with intoxicated murder, it means that their actions were more than negligent, but they were actively dangerous to human life, or they committed an intentional act. For example, if a pedestrian is crossing the street and the driver speeds up rather than slows down or swerves, it is likely that this will be classed as intoxicated murder.
If you have been affected by a fatal accident in Ohio, it is important to take action in order to understand more about the law.