Turlock Man Sentenced for DUI Head-On Collision
I’m Ed Smith, a Turlock car accident lawyer. A head-on collision took place in Turlock on August 6, 2016. A thorough investigation on the crash concluded that a Turlock man caused the crash while driving under the influence of alcohol. The man has been recently sentenced for his 2016 offense and is facing years in prison.
What Happened?
A 26-year-old Turlock man was driving his vehicle when he lost control and veered into the opposing lane of travel. An oncoming vehicle was unable to avoid the man’s car, resulting in a serious head-on collision. The driver of the other vehicle suffered moderate injuries and their passenger suffered a broken arm, which required surgery.
Accident Investigation
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the scene of the car accident. When they arrived, they located the Turlock man. A CHP officer noticed that the man, identified as Jose Luis Ochoa Cuevas, smelled of alcohol. Investigators revealed that the man allegedly admitted to consuming alcohol before the accident. A blood test was conducted, revealing that his blood alcohol content level was approximately 0.11 percent; more than the state legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Turlock Man Pleads No Contest to Felony DUI
According to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, Jose Luis Ochoa Cuevas pleaded no contest to felony driving under the influence of alcohol and causing bodily injury on September 12, 2017. Prosecutors stated that Cuevas allegedly had two prior reckless driving convictions involving alcohol in 2011 and 2013. Cuevas was still under probation for his 2013 offense before his August 6, 2016 head-on collision. Cuevas admitted to causing great bodily injury to the passenger of the other party’s vehicle. The nature of the injuries caused the DUI charge to increase against Cuevas under the “Three Strikes” law. He was sentenced to five years in prison.
What is the “Three Strikes” Law?
The “Three Strikes” statute, under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, provides mandatory life imprisonment if a felony has been convicted in federal court of a “serious violent felony” and/or has had two or more prior convictions in state or federal courts where at least one of the offenses was deemed as a “serious violent felony”.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Accidents involving drunk drivers are a common reality throughout the state of California. Despite statewide efforts towards stopping such occurrences, such as DUI checkpoints, motorists continue to drive while under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol can impair the cognition, coordination and judgement of a person operating a motor vehicle. These impairments can lead to serious automobile accidents, causing innocent parties to suffer traumatic or fatal injuries.
Turlock Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Turlock car accident lawyer. Accidents involving drunk drivers can be devastating. If you’ve been injured by a drunk driver, please call me at (209) 227-1931 for free, friendly advice. You may also connect with me free of toll at (800) 404-5400.
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Content Credit: http://www.modbee.com/news/local/crime/article174039701.html
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