Atlanta Man Hit by Pickup Truck

Atlanta Public Safety Headquarters

Atlanta, Ga. - A local man was struck by a pickup truck last night and killed while he attempted to cross a busy road.

According to authorities, he stepped out in front of the truck and he was not in a crosswalk. As of right now, the driver has not been charged since the man was not legally crossing the road.

As an Atlanta DUI Lawyer, accidents are apart of my legal territory. Many times when a person is arrested for DUI in Atlanta, they are either facing minor traffic violations or they have been involved in an accident where they were found to be criminally liable. In today's post, I will outline how the two are connected.

DUI and Accidents

Not every accident involves traffic violations - however, most of the time, officers attempt to find where one or both parties to the accident went wrong. When a driver is involved in a car accident, the accident itself can be used to support a DUI charge by showing that the driver was less safe to drive depending on the circumstances of the accident. A car accident may also frustrate a favorable negotiation with the prosecution. 

Penalties likely to be more severe when a car accident is involved even when no person or property was injured or damaged. Also the accident itself can be used as an indication of less safe driving, which is an element of the DUI offense itself.

If an officer sees a driver in distress, the officer has legal cause to approach the vehicle and investigate and offer assistance.  The officer's primary duty is to aid all distressed drivers.  However while aiding those drivers, the officer can also investigate the cause of the accident and a possible DUI offense.  Also, the officer can charge the driver with anything he sees in plain view, such as drugs or weapons in the vehicle.

Practice Note

If you have been arrested for DUI - it is important to have competent and experienced legal counsel on your side. Call our offices today so that we can determine the best option for you and your case.