Senator Tom Killion introduced Deana’s Law which targets DUI drivers that possess multiple offenses on Wednesday in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The law is named for Deana Eckman who lost her life in February 2019 after a pickup truck slammed head-on into her vehicle on Route 452 in Upper Chichester, Pennsylvania. After the fatal car accident, it was discovered that the truck driver whose blood alcohol level registered at 0.199 and whose body contained various illegal substances held five prior DUI offenses on his record.
The proposed law, Senate Bill 773, changes the current laws to inflict harsher penalties on DUI drivers who commit more than one offense. Amended penalties include consecutive sentences for individuals committing a third offense or more, and increasing a second offense to a third-degree felony, a third offense to second-degree, and a fourth offense to a first-degree felony. Any individual convicted of a fourth offense will receive a five- to ten-year sentence and those committing a fifth offense will be sentenced ten to 20 years jail time. The vehicles owned by the convicted drivers of two or more offenses will be impounded. Three-time or more convicted individuals will be required to use an ignition interlock device for up to two years, and after a second conviction, they must use a “continuous alcohol monitoring” (CAM) device.
If you or someone you love was injured in a serious car accident, our Delaware County car accident lawyers at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. will assist you in filing a claim. Call us today at 610-565-3701 or contact us online to arrange a free case review. We represent clients throughout Chester County, Montgomery County, and Delaware County from our offices in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania.