Underage Driver Pleads Guilty to DUI Accident
A now 21 year old man has pleaded guilty to the underage drunk driving accident that caused severe injuries to his female passenger on December 1, 2011. Trey Moats was not yet of drinking age when he and three of his friends were driving home from a party the night of the accident. According to the police reports, Moats was going around a street corner, likely at higher speeds than the street limit, and as a result he lost total control of the car and it flipped. The impact resulted in the female victim, who was 24 at the time, being ejected from the car. Though the young lady survived the terrible incident, she sustained extreme injuries form the accident and not only suffered physical pain but also incurred a hefty amount of medical bills, an estimated $90,000. The prosecutor, Kevin Rings, states that now a year later though she believes she is done with her surgeries, up to this point she has undergone significant medical attention.
Police state that the defendant, Trey Moats, prior to his DUI arrest had a history of misdemeanor charges on his record for various offenses. These include driving on a suspended license twice, underage consumption charges, and giving false information when accused of a traffic violation. The court argued that Moats showed little concern for the victim and her recovery as he still had not dealt with his insurance to offer her any restitution payments. Washington County Common Pleas Court Judge Ed Lane claims that because he still was uncertain of even what kind of insurance he carried that he felt as though the defendant wanted to move on with his life as opposed to dealing with the situation. Because of the various factors, the Judge Lane deemed that six months in jail was sentenced to six months in jail because his job agreed to keep him on after he was released.
Judge Lane originally wanted to give him the maximum sentence, 18 months behind bars, but then came to the conclusion that if he did so he would be out of work when released and therefore even less likely to pay restitution to the victim. Along with the minimum sentence of 6 months, Lane states that he wants Moats to address his alcohol addiction problems and is requiring him to stay at SEPTA Correctional Facility while receiving counseling as well. Post release, he will have his driver's license suspended for 5 years along with numerous community service opportunities.
Facing underage DUI charges can result in life changing consequences if convicted. For this very reason, hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney is absolutely essential to fighting not only for your innocence but also for your freedom, your reputation and your future! When convicted of a DUI, it will remain on your records for a period of time, and not only is there the chance of time behind bars, but having a suspended license can be very difficult for working and otherwise busy people. If you or someone you know has been accused of an underage DUI or any other DUI charge, do not hesitate in contacting a trusted Phoenix DUI attorney at the Rosenstein Law Group today! Our firm is focused on helping our clients, and we will do whatever we can to see to it that your rights are protected and fought for. Don't just take our word for it, by reading our client testimonials you will find numerous individuals who thought all hope was lost until they contacted our firm.
At Rosenstein Law Group we firmly believe that every individual deserves an opportunity to fight for their freedom. We are proud to say that any client who comes our way we view as a person rather than a criminal because we understand that accidents happen, wrong accusations are made, etc. and we want to help you! Attorney Craig Rosenstein is a dedicated attorney who has committed his life to defending others accused of DUI's. Craig has received a 9.5 Superb Rating on Avvo, a legal peer and client review website; a bold testimony that he cares about the people and is good at what he does.
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