When a DUI kills someone in California, that person usually faces a charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. While a murder charge is possible, prosecutors usually do not charge a person with DUI murder, also known as a Watson murder, without a previous DUI conviction. The previous DUI conviction usually means that the person has gone to DUI school or has signed a Watson agreement. The Watson agreement states that the person is aware that they are aware that if they get into another DUI and it kills someone, they will face a murder charge.
The Eastbay Times reports on a man facing a murder charge in a fatal Richmond crash.
42-year-old Marcus Nathan Wolfe was charged with murder, leaving the scene of an accident, and two counts of DUI with a previous DUI conviction.
The charges stem from a November 17th accident that occurred at about 10:45 p.m. in which Wolfe rear-ended a car on Richmond Parkway. The car that Wolfe rear-ended had three occupants. One of those occupants was 45-year-old Rajni Gulati.
Gulati was pronounced dead at the scene. The two other occupants were seriously injured.
Police determined that Wolfe’s blood-alcohol percentage was above .08%, but did not specify his actual percentage.
Court records indicate that Wolfe was convicted of DUI in March, which was related to a December 30th, 2017 arrest.
Wolfe is in custody on a $1 million bail. If convicted of the murder charge, he faces 15 years to life in prison.
