Driver Faces Criminal Charges After Fatal Golf Cart Accident

Drunk driving almost always results in criminal charges if the police catch you, but people who cause motor vehicle collisions while they are sober do not always end up in criminal court. Of course, the laws vary from one state to another. In nearby New Jersey, drunk driving is a civil infraction, much like making an illegal turn; even though the civil fines are hefty, you do not get criminal charges unless you cause an accident while driving drunk. By contrast, a woman in Texas is currently serving a life sentence after her sixth DUI, even though she never caused a collision while under the influence of alcohol. In Pennsylvania, you can get criminal charges if you drive drunk, with or without causing an accident. You can also get criminal charges if you cause an accident that results in injuries and was also eminently preventable; in other words, even if you were not drunk, what you did was at least as dangerous as drunk driving. Of course, the most severe criminal penalties are reserved for people convicted of causing accidents that resulted in fatalities. If you are facing criminal charges for causing a serious car accident, regardless of whether alcohol or other substances were involved, contact a Pittsburgh traffic violations lawyer.

Pennsylvania Careless Driving Laws

In Pennsylvania, careless driving and reckless driving are two separate offenses, but it is possible to get both charges in connection to the same accident. Reckless driving involves driving more than 30 hours above the speed limit. By contrast, careless driving includes any driving behaviors that endanger passengers and other motorists, including but not limited to excessive speed.

In the News

In May 2025, Natalie Jo Lally and five of her friends piled into a golf cart in Jackson Township after a night of drinking, despite the fact that the golf cart was only big enough to hold four people. A curve in the road was sharper than Lally had realized, and she was driving the golf cart so fast that she lost control of it and crashed. Three of the passengers fell from the golf cart and got injured. One of them, Megan Marie Mappin, suffered a severe head injury and was airlifted to a hospital. She died of her injuries two days later. Only one of the other passengers was injured severely enough to require hospitalization.

When police arrived at the scene of the accident, Lally told them that she had been drinking, and they administered a breathalyzer test. Her blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.16 percent, which is twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent. She is facing a long list of criminal charges, including vehicular manslaughter, aggravated assault by vehicle, reckless driving, careless driving, and reckless endangerment.

Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges related to drunk driving.  Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.

Source:

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