In Florida, the most serious DUI cases are those that involve the death of another person. DUI manslaughter is a felony charge and if convicted, the driver faces up to 15 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. This charge also has a four-year mandatory sentence.
In Florida, unlike a typical DUI, the police can forcibly draw blood in cases where alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the accident. In addition to the time spent in prison and on probation, the driver will also have their Florida driver’s license permanently suspended. However, a driver with no prior DUI convictions may be able to have their driving privileges reinstated after five years.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that a woman has been charged with DUI manslaughter and child neglect in a wrong-way crash that occurred in Largo.
The crash occurred at about 2:15 a.m. on Sunday along U.S. 19 North near 66th Street North. Prior to the crash, law enforcement had received calls that a 2014 Nissan was traveling southbound in northbound lanes.
Law enforcement officers attempted to pull the vehicle over, but 27-year-old Britney Lynn Crawford collided head-on with another vehicle.
The front-seat passenger in the vehicle that Crawford hit was killed in the collision. The driver suffered from a serious leg injury. A 10-year-old child in the back of the vehicle suffered from a lacerated liver and bruising to the lungs and intestines.
Crawford was found unconscious in her vehicle following the crash. She was flown by helicopter to a local hospital. There was a child in the vehicle that was taken with Crawford for precautionary reasons.
Blood drawn at the hospital revealed that Crawford’s BAC was .202.
Crawford is facing charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, child neglect, and DUI causing serious injury.
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