Irmo Man Receives Prison Sentence For Causing DUI Crash That Injured Sheriff’s Deputy

The time from Thanksgiving to New Year’s is peak season for drunk driving.  Meanwhile, the pandemic-era annoyances of air travel, such as rapidly fluctuating ticket prices and frequent flight cancellations have led some people who ordinarily rely on planes for their holiday travel to undertake interstate road trips, meaning that there will likely be even more cars on the road than usual this holiday season.  Of course, people who have been injured in DUI accidents live with constant reminders of the dangers of drunk driving every day, not just during the holidays.  If alcohol was a factor in the car accident that caused your severe and costly injuries, contact a South Carolina car accident lawyer.

Defendant Sentenced to Eight Years for DUI Causing Great Bodily Harm

Roy Hall enjoyed a successful career as a sheriff’s deputy with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office, but that all changed on June 8, 2019.  That day, Hall was on his way to work at the sheriff’s department headquarters when a Chevy Silverado that was speeding in the wrong lane struck his police SUV on South Lake Drive near Red Bank.  The head-on collision destroyed the front end and cab of Hall’s vehicle and also totaled the Silverado.  Michael Jordan Nichols, the driver of the Silverado, had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.19 at the time of the accident, according to a breathalyzer test performed at the scene; his BAC was more than twice the legal limit.

Emergency crews arrived and spent nearly half an hour extracting Hall from his vehicle.  He suffered fractures to his pelvis and a dislocated femur, the bone in the upperpart of the leg; he underwent several surgeries.  Hall has been unable to work since the accident and likely will not be able to work again due to the severity of his injuries.

Nichols, 38, received criminal charges for DUI resulting in great bodily injury.  He pleaded guilty to the charges.  In November 2021, a court in Lexington County handed down a sentence of eight years in prison followed by five years of probation.  The fact that he pleaded guilty may have gotten him a shorter sentence than he might have received if a jury had convicted him at trial.  Meanwhile, Nichols has two prior convictions on his record (they are for assault, not DUI), so this could have stopped the court from handing down an even shorter sentence.

Reach Out to Us Today for Help

A Columbia car accident lawyer can help you get the money you need for treatment of injuries you suffered when a drunk driver collided with your vehicle.  Contact The Stanley Law Group for a consultation.

Source:

yahoo.com/news/drunk-driver-severely-hurt-lexington-155328181.html