Pasadena, TX accident lawyers note that a recent case out of Fort Worth reveals an admirable example of what Texas law and diligent prosecutors can do to remove dangerous, repeat DWI offenders from Texas roads. Max Voltmann killed a seminary student and injured two other people in a 1998 drunk driving wreck when Voltmann was 20 years old. For that deadly crash, Voltmann received only 10 years of probation and remained free to endanger others on Texas roads.
More recently, in December 2010, Max Voltmann wrecked into a parked car while driving drunk near his home in Fort Worth. His crash led to a chain reaction wreck involving four vehicles. No one was injured in the crash. Toxicology tests showed he had a blood alcohol content more than twice the legal limit in Texas as well as some marijuana in his system. And normally, the maximum penalty Voltmann would have received was a monetary fine and up to 180 days in jail.
But because Voltmann was convicted for intoxication manslaughter after his 1998 wreck that claimed an innocent life, prosecutors were able to charge him with a felony DWI offense relating to the 2010 wreck. Our Pasadena, TX accident lawyers mention that a conviction on the felony DWI charge carried a possible penalty of up to 10 years in state prison. The jury in the case gave him 8 years in prison. But that’s 8 years where Texans might have 1 less drunk driver to contend with out on the roads.
It seems a travesty to our Pasadena, TX accident lawyers that someone must die before a dangerous drunk driver can be removed from the road. It’s an even greater travesty that records show that in many cases DWI offenders aren’t removed from our roads even when they do kill someone.
Studies show that convicted drunk drivers don’t give up drinking and driving after their convictions. They usually go on to commit repeat offenses. Strong Texas penalties for drunk driving that put drunk drivers behind bars for lengthy periods are one of the best ways to ensure that they do not commit repeat offenses.
If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one to a drunk driver, you know the hazards that drunk drivers cause out on our Texas roads. If you need help obtaining fair financial recompense for the harm you’ve suffered, contact our experienced Pasadena, TX accident lawyers for a free and confidential consultation/case evaluation. We could advise you regarding your available legal options and potential for a fair recovery from the case.