Not surprisingly, if a person has a previous DUI conviction, the penalties for subsequent DUIs become more serious. Just for example, a second DUI can result in more prison time, higher fines, more time in DUI school, and a longer term of license suspension. A previous DUI can even mean the difference between a gross manslaughter while intoxicated charge and a murder charge. More DUIs also increases the chances that eventually, even a simple DUI where a person is just pulled over by police can become a felony. Accidents that injure or kill someone can also become felonies if there are previous DUI convictions.
The Fresno Bee reports on a man who was on probation for a DUI charge when he drove while intoxicated again, this time killing someone.
26-year-old Jose Manuel Andrade-Blanco pleaded no contest last Thursday to charges of murder, five counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of an accident.
The charges stem from an accident on November 23, 2016. Andrade-Blanco is accused of driving drunk near Shaw and Seventh Avenues in Biola. His car began to drift into oncoming traffic, where he collided head-on with two other vehicles.
The accident seriously injured five other people and left 29-year-old Juan Diaz-Rodriguez dead.
At the time of the accident, Andrade-Blanco had a blood-alcohol level of between 0.15% and 0.22%. Andrade-Blanco was also on probation for a previous DUI conviction that occurred back in 2015. At the time of that conviction, a judge warned Andrade-Blanco that if he drove drunk again and killed someone, he could be charged with murder.
Andrade-Blanco is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26th. He faces a total of 17 years in prison.
