Atlanta, GA- Some people just never learn from their mistakes even if it was a deadly one. Such is the case of a Georgia man who was arrested for driving under the influence this week while out on bond for charges stemming from a DUI accident that killed his bride last December.
Ryan Quinton, 28, of Jasper was arrested for DUI Saturday just days after he entered rehab. According to Pickens County Police, Quinton was pulled over just after 1 a.m. for failure to maintain his lane and failure to stop at a stop sign. His blood alcohol level was .158, nearly twice the legal limit in Georgia, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported.
Quinton was released on bond in February after he was charged with vehicular homicide for his involvement in a DUI accident that killed his bride last December.
That accident occurred just hours after Quinton and his bride, Kali Quinton, attended their wedding reception in Ball Ground, Georgia on December 29th. As the couple was leaving the Wheeler House in Cherokee County, their sports car ran off the road and went down an embankment. Kali Quinton was trapped underneath the vehicle and died as a result of her injuries.
A witness to the accident said members of the wedding party began showing up at the scene to see what happened.
Quinton initially told investigators that he swerved to miss a dog in the road, but a blood test later revealed he was under the influence. His blood alcohol level was .14 at the time of his first crash and in February of this year he was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI and other charges.
In Georgia, depending on the circumstances of each chase, a person convicted of vehicular homicide can face 0 to 15 years in jail. That is on top of the consequences for driving under the influence. Being represented by an accomplished DUI attorney will allow an individual facing these charges to avoid jail or receive a reduced sentence.
Quinton’s mother told the Cherokee Tribune that her son had just entered rehab last Tuesday.
Quinton’s second arrest violated the terms of his bond so he is being held at the Cherokee Detention Center until his hearing for the December accident.
Quinton made the same mistake as many drunken drivers, he repeated his offense. Studies have shown that some DUI offenders, about 50 percent, are likely to get a second DUI charge. Some people are charged with DUI on multiple times. For this reason, states have made the penalties for repeat DUI offenses tougher. The penalties can include jail time, suspension of driving privileges and installing an ignition interlock device in their vehicle.
Whether a person is charged with their first DUI or multiple DUIs or a DUI involving injury or death, they need knowledgeable and highly competent legal assistance. A DUI attorney understands the consequences a DUI conviction entails and will build a defense that will give their client the opportunity to avoid a DUI conviction.
