Investigators Search for Answers in Marietta Collision

Marietta Municipal Court

Marietta, Ga. – Police in Marietta have reported that three people were seriously injured in a four-vehicle collision that happened on Interstate 75 on Monday evening.

The wreck shut down the interstate for over two hours causing severe delays. The chain-reaction collision began when a sprinter van struck the back of a sedan. This caused the first vehicle to hit the median wall.

Officers are still searching for more details and investigating the incident. They have asked any witnesses to come forward with information.

As a Marietta DUI Lawyer, I will focus today's post on the offense of serious injury by vehicle as it is a potential charge here in this case.

Serious Injury by Vehicle

In O.C.G.A. § 40-6-394, serious injury by vehicle is defined as:

Whoever, without malice, shall cause bodily harm to another by depriving him of a member of his body, by rendering a member of his body useless, by seriously disfiguring his body or a member thereof, or by causing organic brain damage which renders the body or any member thereof useless through the violation of Code Section 40-6-390 or 40-6-391 shall be guilty of the crime of serious injury by vehicle. A person convicted under this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than 15 years.

The Serious Injury by Vehicle statute does not define what constitutes a “serious injury.”  Other statutes define it as a “fractured bone, severe burns, disfigurement, dismemberment, partial or total loss of sight or hearing, or loss of consciousness.”  To be “serious,” the injury need not be permanent – a serious, temporary injury is sufficient and only needs to impair or injure the appearance of a person. 

In the past, injuries such as loss of vision in one eye, blurry vision, a two-inch scar on the forehead, broken ribs, and severe bruising have qualified as “serious.”  Whether an injury is serious is a question of fact to be determined by the jury.

Practice Note

These types of charges are often seen alongside charges for DUI in Marietta. If you have been arrested for driving under the influence, call our offices now.