Vehicular Manslaughter and Watson Murders

You can be charged with vehicular manslaughter if you cause the death, even if unintentionally, of someone else, while you are driving.

A Watson Murder usually occurs when you kill someone while driving under the influence, or another serious vehicle code section, when you had previously been convicted of driving under the influence. There are exceptions to this scenario, and a few additional manners in which you can be charged with a Watson murder, but the preceding is the most common. The reason you can be charged with a murder instead of a vehicular manslaughter in this situation is that a driver is presumed to have knowledge of their lack of ability to drive safely, given their previous conviction, and thus, the law deems that implied malice.

If you are being investigated for a criminal offense, or have been charged with a criminal offense, and want to know how to best proceed, please contact the attorneys at Jackson Law online or call Jackson Law at 650-587-8556.