It is easy for many people and authorities to make assumptions when someone is suspected of a crime. For example, it is easy to assume that a person may be guilty of drunk driving or other crimes if they flee the scene of a highway accident. However, these assumptions are not sufficient to prove someone committed a crime or to secure a conviction in a trial. Recently, a Georgia man was arrested and accused of a DUI when he was involved in multiple accidents along a highway in metro Atlanta. At this point, it is unclear what evidence supports these charges.
The 25-year-old man is accused of causing a chain of accidents involving three cars on I-75 near Marietta, GA. The accidents occurred on Friday, August 12 in the afternoon. Police have indicated that the man suspected of instigating the accidents was allegedly driving erratically on the highway. He supposedly hit a sedan from behind with enough force that it caused the sedan to strike the truck in front of it.
The car the man was said to be driving then left the roadway and eventually stopped along the shoulder. Witnesses relate that they saw the suspect take several items from the car and the flee on foot. He was arrested approximately an hour after the crash after several 911 calls described a man behaving suspiciously.
While it is understandable that Georgia authorities want to ensure that justice is served, it is equally important that the rights of the man suspected of DUI are not violated throughout the criminal process. In all cases involving criminal charges, prosecutors must provide sufficient evidence in order to obtain a conviction. This can often a difficult standard to meet. Most who are charged with drunk driving in Georgia seek the advice of an experienced DUI and criminal defense attorney. An attorney will work to ensure that a client’s rights are not violated during the arrest and trial processes and that the client receives the best defense when facing these difficult times.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “DUI drugs blamed in 3-car hit-run on I-75 in Marietta“, Ellen Eldridge, Aug. 16, 2016