Penalties for DUI Manslaughter

Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of another human being, but not done with intent or malice. In response to the increasing number of homicides caused by drunk drivers, some states have created a distinct offense for deaths caused by drunk driving. These are commonly referred to as, inter alia, "vehicular manslaughter", "manslaughter with a vehicle," "negligent homicide manslaughter," or "DUI manslaughter."

Almost every state has such a statute. All of the statutes provide for a term of imprisonment, and in some cases, a mandatory minimum sentence. The penalties can be stiff. The State of Washington, for example, imposes life imprisonment for homicide by vehicle with DUI. Iowa imposes a 25 year sentence for homicide by vehicle-DUI, and Tennessee imposes a sentence to imprisonment from 8 to 30 years for its homicide by vehicle statute. Mississippi's law is equally stiff as it imposes a sentence of up to 25 years for homicide by vehicle. Most other states impose sentences of imprisonment ranging upwards to 10, 15, or 20 years.

Almost all of the statutes impose fines in addition to imprisonment. The fines can range anywhere from a low $ 500 in Alabama to $ 750,000 in Colorado, with the general range falling between $ 5,000 and $ 10,000.

Finally, vehicular manslaughter statutes provide for the revocation and suspension of an offender's license. The sanctions can run anywhere from a minimum of 30 days to life, with most requiring a mandatory revocation of two-to-five years.

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