A driver involved in a fatal DUI accident has been denied bond at the hearing following his arrest. The hearing took place last Tuesday and was the occasion of an emotional scene with the driver tearfully saying how sorry he was for the accident.
The accident itself took place a few days earlier on the Interstate 85. Richard Caldwell, 51, had gotten out of his 2000 Dodge pickup truck by the roadside. He was apparently attending to some problem with the vehicle as it was disabled.
Irakli Samkharadze, 34, was traveling southbound at the time. Samkharadze lost control of the vehicle when it ran off the road and hit the Dodge truck and the driver of the truck, Caldwell. Caldwell sustained serious injuries and died at the scene of the accident.
South Carolina Highway Patrol responded to the accident. Samkharadze was at the site of the accident. He was arrested and tested for alcohol content. The results showed that he had been driving under the influence. The investigation of the case is still ongoing by the Highway Patrol and the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. Based on its preliminary findings, the Highway Patrol charged Samkharadze with felony DUI resulting in death.
In the recent hearing of the case, Samkharadze has been denied bond for release from the jail. This is often the case with felony DUI charges. In the instance of felony DUI involving a fatality, in particular, the penalties and conditions are harsher.
The penalties for felony DUI resulting in death include a mandatory jail time of at least 1 year with a maximum prison time of up to 25 years. At the same time, the at-fault driver is required to pay a fine of no less than $10,100 and no more than $25,100. The driver’s license may also be suspended for the duration of the prison sentence plus an additional 5 years.
If you have been charged and need help with a DUI case, contact a DUI defense attorney in Greenville at The Bateman Law Firm.
Source: https://www.foxcarolina.com/news
