When someone is killed because of the actions of a drunk driver, it is truly tragic. However, when the person who dies is the brother of the drunk driver, the tragedy is compounded. That is what happened to the brother of a 19-year-old woman who recently pleaded guilty to vehicle homicide in a Colorado court.

The May 20 accident happened during the evening hours in Garden of the Gods Park. The woman admitted to drinking two beers before she climbed into the driver's seat. Later, marijuana would also be identified in her system.

The GMC pickup that the woman and her 16-year-old brother were in started to slide when the woman overcorrected. The woman said that the truck struck a rock and started to roll. Her brother, who was not wearing a seat belt, was killed when he was ejected from the vehicle and it landed on him. He died at the accident scene.

The woman faces six years in prison and fines of $2,000 to a half-million dollars when she is sentenced on Nov. 6. Originally, she faced suspicion of vehicular homicide, DUI, underage possession of alcohol and careless driving and no more either.

This accident is truly a tragedy and one that the woman will never forget. If you are facing charges for a drunk driving accident, you should begin to put together your defense as soon as possible. This might help to mitigate the penalties, including those requiring prison time, hefty fines, loss of driving privileges and more. An attorney experienced in Colorado DUI cases can give you more information on fighting these charges.

Source: The Gazette, "Colorado Springs woman, 19, pleads guilty in fatal DUI crash that killed brother," Matt Steiner, Aug. 21, 2015