Drinking and driving is a serious offense in Pennsylvania. But, a felony drunk driving charge can be even more difficult to defend. Philadelphia Felony DUI lawyers would probably tell our readers that felony DUI charges have both serious consequences and a bevy of problems in presenting a strong defense.

A Pennsylvania man is currently learning all about these pitfalls, as he goes through the judicial process for charges stemming from a November 3 car accident. According to the reports, this man, a 19-year-old from Chandlerville, was driving his automobile on that day when he crashed into another vehicle driven by a 23-year-old woman. The woman died at the scene of the accident, and the 19-year-old man was arrested for aggravated DUI and reckless homicide. He recently pleaded not guilty, and he will not appear in court again until February.

Although there was no initial information on how the police determined that this man had been drinking alcohol prior to the accident, common police techniques are to give a breathalyzer test or conduct field sobriety tests. Many times police will do both. The important thing to remember when someone is stopped under suspicion of DUI is that the police must strictly adhere to their departmental policies when conducting an investigation into whether or not a driver is impaired. Failure to do so, if discovered at a later time, could result in the case being dismissed, or reduced charges.

Any type of arrest is a challenge to defend, but a felony DUI involving the death of a driver could prove quite costly to the defendant if the case ends in a conviction. A lengthy prison sentence should be expected, as well as the potential for a prolonged probationary supervision period upon release. That is why crafting the right criminal defense strategy – and doing so as early as possible in the case – can make all the difference.

Source: wlds.com, “‘Not guilty’ plea in Philadelphia-area fatal crash case,” Nick Kovatch, Nov. 30, 2012