Car accidents can happen at any time of the day for a variety of different reasons. The consequences of a collision can vary from no injuries to, unfortunately, fatalities. While the latter outcome is always a tragedy, it does not necessarily mean that criminal actions were the cause. However, a woman in New Jersey has recently been charged with manslaughter as a result of a fatal accident she is believed to have been involved in earlier this year.
The accident that led to the charges against the woman happened on a day in Feb. 2019. Police claim that a 66-year-old female driver was speeding when her vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic. Unfortunately, she was allegedly involved in a head-on collision.
A woman and infant in the second vehicle are said to have died in the accident. Police claim that, in addition to speeding, the woman now facing charges was under the influence of alcohol. She also reportedly had alprazolam in her system.
When a tragic loss such as this occurs, law enforcement officials and the community — understandably — often want someone to be held responsible. However, those accused of a crime are presumed innocent, regardless of the accusations made by police officers. To help ensure they have the information necessary to make decisions that will likely impact the rest of their lives, those facing charges of manslaughter and other crimes in New Jersey typically want an experienced professional on their side. With such a professional helping them, defendants often feel more prepared to carefully examine the evidence against them and decide how to proceed.