A motorist in Colorado was recently accused of drinking and driving with respect to a motor vehicle crash. The man was driving a pickup truck that reportedly collided with a school bus. The alleged DUI accident took place on a Friday evening in El Paso County.
The accident happened at approximately 6:50 p.m. at an intersection near the Fountain Valley School. According to police, the north-facing school bus stalled due to mechanical problems. It was disabled on the right shoulder of the roadway. Police said the bus driver was blocking part of the right lane while unloading students.
A northbound pickup truck then struck the back of the bus. The six students on the bus suffered what were deemed to be minor injuries. The pickup truck driver, 32 years old, received a citation for careless driving and was charged with DUI.
Anyone accused of DUI in Colorado is presumed innocent until and unless prosecutors prove guilt in court. The DUI charge must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt — a standard that is often difficult to achieve. As an alternative to going to trial, a defendant in many circumstances may choose to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecution, alongside criminal defense counsel. If a plea deal is offered, the proposed terms must be weighed against the proposed prosecution evidence to be offered at trial. In either scenario, defense counsel will strive to ensure that the defendant’s rights are protected throughout the criminal proceedings and focus on achieving the best possible resolution under the circumstances presented.
Source: kktv.com, “DUI crash involving Fountain Valley School of Colorado bus“, Jan. 13, 2017