Youn Bum Lee pleaded guilty this week to the vehicular manslaughter charges that he faced for an accident that occurred in 2005. Lee and other employees of Hyundai went out to a company dinner in October of 2005. All of them drank plenty of alcoholic beverages at dinner and then Lee got into his car and left. He did not turn his headlights on as he drove and he veered into the carpool lane, crashing into the median in Santa Ana. Ryan Dallas Cook was riding his motorcycle and did not see the unlit car, crashing right into the vehicle. Cook died immediately and Lee drove away. He returned home and went to work the next day before deciding to flee the county and live in Korea. Investigators figured out that he committed the crime and extradited him to Orange County. He was charged and pleaded guilty to one felony count of vehicular manslaughter by unlawful act with gross negligence while intoxicated, with a sentencing enhancement of fleeing the scene. He is expected to be sentenced to around 9 years in prison.
Drunk driving lead to the death of Cook, the end of the career of Lee, and prison time for Lee. Lee should have asked one of his friends to drive him home or should have called a cab. Instead, he risked his life and the lives of others around him by driving. Fleeing the scene of a crime is a crime in itself and comes with additional punishments. If you have caused an accident, stay at the scene of the crime. Whether you live in Garden Grove, Villa Park or Ladera Ranch, if you are charged with DUI manslaughter, call an experienced DUI defense attorney right away to assist you.
If you want to know more about driving under the influence, DUI manslaughter, or your own charges, call DUI defense attorney William Weinberg @ 949.474.8008 in his Irvine office.