Vehicular homicide is a serious crime, and Washington has harsh punishments. The act is a class A felony, and according to RCW 9A.20.021, the maximum prison time is life.
It is difficult to describe the potential penalties you face after a vehicular homicide. The prison time varies widely. However, you need to know something about the severity of a vehicular homicide conviction because there is no room to take chances.
DUI convictions add to your sentence
Washington law does not differentiate between the severity of a DUI-related vehicular homicide and reckless driving. However, you should know that the punishments start to stack up if you have alcohol in your system. If you have a prior DUI conviction in the previous seven years, your mandatory minimum jail time increases from one to thirty days or an extended home monitoring period. This is for a blood alcohol concentration of less than .15 percent. The penalties continue to increase as your BAC measures higher.
It is hard to predict prison time
Besides jail time, the minimum amount of prison time you face varies substantially. However, expect a sentence of at least 15 months. Once other factors come into play, such as intoxication, the prison time increases substantially. The court adds two years to your final sentence for each prior DUI offense. The minimum fines you face also increase with each prior DUI conviction.
Several factors influence a vehicular homicide conviction. If the courts find you guilty, prison time is difficult to avoid. It is best to understand the reality before going into the situation to have a better chance of fighting it.