A 30-year-old driver, who lost control of his pick-up truck resulting in the death of his passenger, is being charged with Felony DUI by the SC Highway Patrol. The crash occurred on US 15 south of Sumter, South Carolina.
Troopers report that the man and his passenger, a 36-year-old Manning man were traveling south on US 15 when he lost control overturning the pick-up truck. Both the driver and the passenger were ejected from the vehicle; however, the passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.
A felony DUI charge in South Carolina requires that the person be proven to have (1) operated a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol or both, and (2) did something else against the law, whether traffic law or duties imposed by the court, and (3) proximately causes great bodily injury or death to a person other than himself, including passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists.
Great bodily injury is an injury that “creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.”
If you or someone you know is facing a charge of DUI with the aggravating factor of “great bodily injury” attached to such charge, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP. We are here to assist you with your legal question and invite you to schedule a consultation. Just call our Baxter Village office in Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-548-4444, or toll free at 877-374-5999.