Enhancements can be added to crimes that a person is charged with and generally, the enhancements lead to stiffer penalties. DUI is no exception to this rule and there are several enhancements that can be added to DUI charges. One such enhancement is excessive blood-alcohol content. In California, the threshold to earn this DUI enhancement is .15%. Another enhancement in California can be added if people are injured or killed in a DUI crash. While jurisdictions have their own special enhancements, in general, if someone is injured or killed in a DUI crash, the suspect will face felony DUI charges.
ABC 30 reports on a woman charged with six felonies for a DUI crash that killed three members of a family.
22-year-old Brenda Garcia of Corcoran was seriously injured in an alleged DUI accident that killed three women. She was arraigned on charges including six felonies in her hospital room, where she will stay for the next 45 to 60 days.
The charges include gross vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence causing injury, and the special allegations of a blood-alcohol content of .15% and causing great bodily injury.
The charges stem from an accident that occurred on Sunday night.
At about 7:30 p.m., sisters Eva Lopez and Maria Rivas along with Rivas’ daughter, Veronica Luna, were heading home to Northridge after visiting family in Modesto.
On Highway 99, they crashed head-on with Garcia, who was driving the wrong way. All three women were killed in the accident, but Garcia survived with serious injuries.
Garcia has no previous history of DUI, but according to the California Highway Patrol, she was so intoxicated, she could not explain how she got onto the freeway going the wrong way.
Garcia’s bail was set at $150,000. Her next court appearance is scheduled for November 9th.
