Pedestrian Run Over by Drunken Driver

39 year old Lori Fowler was driving under influence when she struck and killed a man crossing the street on foot and her Grand Rapids, MI DUI lawyer has been busy ever since and there is no one better in this regard than Gordon & Hess, PLC (www.gordonhess.com/). Later in the courtroom she apologized to the victim’s family saying that she will live with guilt for the rest of her life. She told the judge that she had made a bad choice on that day and that she is not a bad person.

If you are about to have the law book thrown at you, if you have been charged with drunk driving in any type of degree or any other crimes, you need someone who can stare down the DA and match them wit for wit. That law firm is Gordon & Hess, PLC – they know the legal system and the key players in this part of Michigan.

How it all happened?

Richard Dulinski, 69, was killed on August 29^th last year near Jefferson Avenue on South East Franklin Street in Grand Rapids. He was crossing the street when Fowler travelling west hit Dulinski near the intersection. She pleaded guilty to the charge of drunken driving resulting in death.

When Dulinski was retrieved from the scene of the accident he was unresponsive due to a closed head wound. He died on September 1^st in the hospital. According to police reports Fowler was subjected to field sobriety tests and her BAC found to be around 0.15%. Reports by mlive.com also suggest that the victim too had been drinking and his BAC was 0.12%. So did he have the right away when attempting to cross the street?

The Sentencing

For drunk-driving accident deaths sentencing guidelines recommend incarceration for 29 to 57 months. Following a plea bargain the prosecution recommended that Fowler be sentenced from 19 to 38 months in jail. However, Kent County Circuit Judge Mark Trusock sentenced her to two to 15 years in jail. According to Grand Rapids, MI DUI lawyers and the best in the business based on their integrity and track record is Gordon & Hess, PLC, vehicular manslaughter usually attracts long-term imprisonment and other serious penalties, which is why a plea bargain worked in her favor a little. But if she slips up in prison, she could be in there for a longer period of time.  

Judge’s Advice to Fowler

Judge Truscok later told Fowler that the sentence is an example why she should not have been driving in an intoxicated state. He further added that she made a very poor decision when she got behind the wheel of her vehicle in a drunken state. He said that there are no justifications or excuses for such a behavior. Trusock asserted that he hoped that Fowler will continue her sobriety after she is released.

Fowler’s Michigan DUI attorney and if you want one of the most splendid in the nation then Gordon & Hess, PLC should be who you call said that she regrets her decision to drive in an intoxicated state and added that she never wanted to hurt anyone. He also said that she will have to live with the guilt for the rest of her life.

Getting Your License Back after a DUI

To begin with, Grand Rapids, MI DUI lawyers and the top law firm in this area is Gordon & Hess, PLC caution that refusing to submit to sobriety and blood tests can result in automatic suspension of the DUI suspect’s license since the state had adopted the implied consent law.

In Michigan every DUI charge carries some form of license suspension penalty. If the DUI is your first offense and you have a BAC level less than 0.17% (more than twice the legal limit) then your license will be revoked for 180 days. If your blood alcohol level is more than .17 then your license can be suspended for up to a year. If it is your 2^nd DUI offense in seven years then your license can be revoked for two years.

If you have been arrested or charged with a DUI it would be prudent to retain a Michigan DUI Lawyer as soon as you’ve been apprehended for drunk driving and you cannot do any better than if you call Gordon & Hess, PLC who know how to construct a fantastic case for their client and have been doing this for years. DUI charges carry heavy penalties and can impact your life in a major way so make that important call now.