Our Fallbrook drunk driving criminal defense attorneys were saddened to see a report about a DUI accident that took three lives 13. According to an Aug. 16 article from the San Diego Union-Tribune, two women who work at the Valley View casino near Vista were killed in the accident, along with an Orange County man. The workers were Susana Orozco of Escondido and Erica Olivia of Oceanside, both 23. They were stopped on the side of state Route 78, near Vista, when an SUV driver plowed into them and their stopped vehicle. That crash also killed 34-year-old Larry Alvarez of Orange, who was its passenger. The driver was identified as Debbie Sumi of San Marcos, who was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and felony vehicular manslaughter.
The article said Orozco and Olivia had stopped their vehicle at 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 13 because one of the women was feeling ill. Both got out and stood on the side of the road, along with fellow passenger Omar Guzman, 25, of Oceanside. A fourth person, 21-year-old Gerardo Cortez of Oceanside, had remained in the car. Guzman had just stepped away from the women when Sumi's Jeep swerved into the stopped car and the women. The crash killed both women and flipped the Jeep, also killing Alvarez. Authorities later discovered that Sumi did not have a valid driver's license or insurance. Neither Sumi nor Alvarez was wearing a seat belt. Guzman was reportedly not hurt, but Cortez, who remained in a front seat, suffered minor injuries after being thrown from the car. The North County Times reported that Cortez had been wearing a seat belt, but the Jeep hit the car with such force that it broke his seat.
The article does not say exactly what charges Sumi may face, but as San Clemente DUI criminal defense lawyers, we suspect they will be extensive. Sumi could face up to three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, to account for the three victims. These charges alone carry four to 10 years in prison for each count, meaning she could face a total of 12 to 30 years in prison. Those are in addition to the drunk driving charge. The article does not report any prior drunk driving convictions for Sumi, but we noticed that she was driving without a valid license. This is unfortunately not an uncommon choice for people who have already lost their driver's licenses due to a prior DUI conviction. And if you have no valid driver's license, you cannot buy auto insurance, no matter how much money you have. If this was the situation for Sumi, she will face at least her second drunk driving charge. Under the circumstances, this charge could also mean prison, plus alcohol treatment and other penalties.
Howard Law, P.C. does not recommend driving while intoxicated. But if you do face a drunk driving charge, we strongly recommend getting legal representation fast. A first conviction for driving under the influence can get you probation, alcohol classes and thousands in fines and fees. More importantly for many clients, the conviction comes with the loss of your driver's license for at least a few months, which can substantially affect your ability to get to work, take care of family and meet other basic obligations. Our Mission Viejo intoxicated driving criminal defense attorneys can help clients avoid some of these penalties, negotiating for dropped or reduced charges whenever the circumstances allow it. In some cases, we can also use mistakes by police officers or violations of your civil rights to argue for dropping the case entirely. This is why we recommend that you always talk to an attorney before deciding to just plead guilty to a drunk driving charge.
If you're facing a DUI, don't wait before calling Howard Law, P.C. for help. To set up a free consultation, contact us through our website or call 1-800-872-5925.
