On October 23, 2008, a three-car fatal Bucks County car accident occurred in Middletown Township, PA which killed one woman, Mary E. McHugh of Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania and seriously injured her husband, Joseph McHugh. Now, six months later, Bucks County police have charged the driver with DUI (driving under the influence) relating to the Bucks County car accident.
DUI suspect, Daniel Smith of Bristol Township, PA was arrested and taken to the Bucks County prison on May 3, 2009. He has been charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence (DUI), a second degree felony. In addition, Smith was charged with two counts of second degree felony aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence (DUI), involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor, and other related Bucks County, Pennsylvania criminal offenses.
Smith was traveling northbound on Oxford Valley Road in his Toyota 4-Runner when he made a left turn onto Frosty Hollow Road. It was on Frosty Hollow Road that he collided with the McHugh’s car. The impact of hitting Mr. Smith’s 4-Runner caused the McHugh’s vehicle to collide with another car, veer off the road, and then crash into a fence.
Ms. McHugh was administered CPR by paramedics at the Bucks County car accident scene and taken to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township, PA for her serious personal injuries. Ms. McHugh died four days later at the hospital. Mr. McHugh also sustained several personal injuries in this Bucks County PA car accident.
Mr. Smith was taken by police to St. Mary Medical Center for blood alcohol testing after police reportedly found Mr. Smith smelling of alcohol. Hospital tests revealed that Mr. Smith has a blood alcohol level of .082, according to police.
A DUI Preliminary Hearing for Mr. Smith’s case in this case is scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2009 before District Judge John Kelly, District Court 07-1-08 in Levittown, PA.
The legal limit for blood alcohol while driving in Pennsylvania is 0.080. According to the Bucks County police and the blood alcohol test results, Smith’s blood alcohol was only slightly over that level. This may be a case that Mr. Smith would want to fight due to the serious criminal and DUI penalties that he may face if convicted of Bucks County DUI and the other aggravated Bucks County criminal charges.
