A Tennessee woman is in serious trouble with the law the after causing an accident that eventually claimed the life of a teenage boy. The boy died from his injuries just one day after he was supposed to graduate from high school. The suspected drunk driver also had a small child in the car with her at the time of the crash and was officially charged with vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and endangerment of a child.

The crash occurred as the teenage boy, his mother and his girlfriend were traveling back from a volunteer event. The alleged drunk driver crossed the yellow line and hit the other vehicle head-on. After the impact, the young man’s vehicle was pushed on its side, and all the occupants had to be extricated from the car by emergency crews. It is not clear if the other driver sustained any injuries or if a blood test was administered following the accident.

It is always tragic when a Tennessee teenager loses his or her life in an accident. Despite the unfortunate consequences of her actions, the driver is still entitled to certain rights under the law. She is rightfully entitled to a defense and should be considered innocent in the eyes of the law until proven guilty.

The consequences of vehicular homicide and DUI charges are severe and can include time in prison and costly fines. An optimal defensive approach should be determined after careful consideration of all possible options, including a plea deal. To protect one’s rights granted by the law, it is wise to seek the counsel of a knowledgeable defense attorney as soon as possible after a drunk driving arrest.

Source: wkrn.com, “Teen injured in crash before graduation, dies 2 days later; Woman charged“, Lori Mitchell, May 17, 2015