In Virginia, a person can be convicted of "involuntary manslaughter" (also called "vehicular manslaughter" and "vehicular homicide") for causing the death of another person while driving "under the influence" of drugs or alcohol in violation of the state's DUI laws.
Under the influence. For purposes of the vehicular manslaughter statute, "under the influence" means impairment is observable in the person's "manner, disposition, speech, muscular movement, general appearance or behavior."
Causation. A motorist can't be convicted of vehicular manslaughter unless there's proof that the motorist's intoxication was a legal cause of the death. In other words, there needs to be a direct link between the defendant's intoxication and the death.
The consequences of a Virginia manslaughter conviction depend on the circumstances. But the possible penalties are:
All drivers convicted of vehicular manslaughter are looking at permanent license revocation, though reinstatement is possible after five years.
Vehicular manslaughter is a serious criminal charge. If you've been arrested for vehicular manslaughter—or any other crime—get in contact with a criminal defense attorney right away. The facts of every case are different. An experienced defense attorney can explain how the law applies to the facts of your case and help you decide on the best plan of action.