California takes a DUI with children in the car very seriously. There are two ways that a person arrested for DUI with a child in the vehicle can be charged. The first way is with the sentence enhancement of DUI with a minor. This is a sentence enhancement and not an additional charge. The other way it can be charged is by charging either child endangerment or child abuse, which are separate charges. The driver would face the penalties for DUI as well as the penalties for the second charge. Either way, the incident is reported to Child Protective Services, who will conduct their own independent investigation.
KSBY reports that a woman from Arroyo Grande is facing multiple charges in a deadly head-on DUI crash on Highway 227. 26-year-old Chelsea Stiles was arrested on the night of Sunday, December 1st, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol.
Stiles was recklessly driving a GMC Yukon on Highway 227, causing the vehicle to spin out. The vehicle then veered into oncoming traffic, where it slammed head-on into a Honda SUV. 72-year-old Terry Tilton died at the scene. Stiles suffered from major injuries and was taken to the hospital. A 15-year-old female who was in the vehicle with Stiles suffered from minor injuries.
Stiles is set to be arraigned Tuesday morning on charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while under the influence, DUI with injury, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, hit-and-run with injury, child abuse, animal abuse, and cocaine possession.
