If You’ve Been Charged With Criminal Vehicular Conduct in Minnesota, Contact Attorney Joshua London Right Away!
In Minnesota, criminal vehicular operation is a criminal offense that can carry serious repercussions. Criminal Vehicular Operation and Vehicular Homicide crimes require both bodily harm and either:
- gross negligent operation of a motor vehicle
- Causing an accident and leaving the scene (hit and run)
- negligence plus DUI (alcohol or other drug impairment, or 0.08 alcohol within two hours) or
- failure to repair a known defect and causing injury or death to another driver
There is no crime unless evidence proves causation. The prosecutor is required to provide evidence of a causal connection between the bodily harm and the intentional criminal act that is being alleged.
Level of Bodily Harm
The prosecutor is required to prove a level of bodily harm caused by the defendant. The severity of the criminal vehicular charge varies with the level of harm.
Four levels of bodily harm can be an element:
- Death: If the accident results in the death of another (vehicular homicide), the driver at fault could face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of $20,000. In addition to prison time and fines, convicted individuals also face a loss of their driving privileges, forfeiture of their vehicle and rights to possess a firearm, and difficulty finding employment or obtaining loans in the future,
- Great bodily harm: Great bodily harm means that there is a high probability that the victim may suffer serious permanent disfigurement or bodily impairment, or that the victim will die. A conviction for causing great bodily harm can result in five years in prison and a $10,000 fine,
- Substantial bodily harm: Substantial bodily harm includes any bodily injury resulting in a temporary yet substantial impairment or loss of function of any body part, or in a temporary yet substantial disfigurement. Penalties include three years in prison and a $10,000 fine, or
- Bodily harm: Bodily harm is broadly characterized by illness, physical injury or pain, or any other impairment of physical condition. If convicted of criminal vehicular operation resulting in bodily harm, an individual could face up to one year in jail and a fine of $3,000
The bodily harm must be “to another.” So, if a driver injures himself or herself only, a prosecutor may not charge a Criminal Vehicular Operation or Homicide crime.
Contact An Experienced Attorney
If you are facing charges or being investigated for criminal vehicular operation, do not hesitate to contact an attorney for legal representation. A conviction can lead to losing your driving privileges and other life altering consequences.