Involuntary manslaughter, in its most basic form, is when a person unintentionally kills another person. Moreover, this death resulted from criminal negligence or reckless behavior. In many cases, this incident also stemmed from an illegal action. Most people believe that they could never be charged with a serious crime like manslaughter. Unfortunately, there are countless people that find themselves needing a manslaughter defense attorney in Tampa for a variety of reasons. In this brief article, we will discuss a few common scenarios that could lead to an involuntary manslaughter charge.
The most common way a citizen can be charged with involuntary manslaughter is behind the wheel of their car including:
Texting and Driving: With technological advancements, texting and driving has become a significant issue. If a motorist pays no attention to their surrounding environment because they are watching their phone, the death of another motorist or pedestrian could be considered a criminal act.
Reckless Driving: If a motorist is driving at excessive speeds, ignores a stop sign, runs a stop light, or commits several traffic infractions, these actions could result in a manslaughter charge.
Drinking and Driving: Driving over the legal blood alcohol concentration limit of .08% is a serious crime in and of itself; however, if you have been drinking and are involved in an accident that results in the death of another individual, the courts will be seeking a penalty much more significant than a misdemeanor arrest with a significant fine and a suspended license.
Dangerous Vehicle: If the motorist had faulty brakes and did not have them fixed or the headlights didn’t work while driving at night, this negligence can also result in a manslaughter charge if it costs another individual their life.
Although most people naturally associate drug-related crimes that result in a death with drug abusers, citizens from all walks of life can be involved in an involuntary manslaughter case related to drug activity. With an opioid epidemic that is taking the lives of thousands of citizens every year in the United States, drug-related involuntary manslaughter cases continue to increase and the illegal distribution of prescription pills has become a serious national issue. Involuntary manslaughter cases can involve anything from drug abusers that shared needles to drug dealers that sold a lethal dosage of illegal drugs to even a medical doctor that deliberately overprescribed a patient with prescription pills.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.