In most cases, a DUI in California is a misdemeanor charge. As long as there were no serious injuries or a fatality, people can expect a misdemeanor charge up until their 3rd DUI. Beginning with the third DUI, a prosecutor has the discretion of charging it as a felony. If a person is facing their fourth DUI charge within 10 years, it will automatically be charged as a felony. Even a first time DUI can be charged as a felony if the injuries are serious enough. A DUI that results in another person’s death can also be charged as a felony.
NBC Bay Area reports that a person was critically injured, and another was arrested for suspicion of DUI after an early morning crash in Santa Rosa.
The crash happened early Sunday morning. Police were called at about 2:45 a.m. to a collision at North Dutton Avenue near the off-ramp for westbound Highway 12. A silver Honda sedan had been in a collision with a security vehicle.
Jared Williamson, the driver of the security vehicle, was found non-responsive in the front seat. The Santa Rosa fire department extracted Williamson from the vehicle, and he was rushed to a local hospital. He had life-threatening injuries according to first responders.
Anthony Graves, who was driving the Honda, remained on the scene. Witnesses reported that the Honda involved in the crash had allegedly been driving erratically and was reaching speeds of up to 80 m.p.h. just prior to the crash. Police think that the driver of the Honda may have run a red light and crashed into Williamson.
Police arrested Graves on suspicion of felony DUI causing injury, felony DUI over 0.08%, and driving under the influence of drugs. He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail. His bond was set at $100,000.
