Criminal accusations of any nature can have a lasting negative impact on the accused individual's life. When these accusations fall on the shoulders of a teenager, it can create an even more dismal outlook when not handled carefully. A New York teen may be facing this very situation after being accused of driving while intoxicated in the aftermath of a fatal car accident.

The 17-year-old and two of his friends were in a car headed to a convenience store late in the evening several weeks ago in Central Islip, New York. The car reportedly ended up striking a fence after running off the road. The two passengers, a 17-year-old and 18-year-old, were ejected from the vehicle and fatally injured. Authorities arrested the driver and charged him with drunk driving.

The driver was reportedly known to his family as a good kid and hard worker who attended school every day.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In New York, a DWI is generally a misdemeanor crime. A blood alcohol content reading of .08 or higher for adults, and .02 or higher for underage drivers, will result in a DWI charge. However, cases that involve injury or death generally result in felony DWI charges, which can result in extremely serious consequences.

After being charged with a DWI, especially in cases stemming from serious or fatal car accidents, drivers can often be in shock. In one-car accidents, especially, it can be difficult for the accused to take time away from grieving to recognize the seriousness of the charges.

Those facing any type of DWI charge in New York are wise to seek a rigorous defense, because New York takes drunk driving very seriously. With an aggressive defense, those accused of these types of charges are often able to arrive at the most suitable outcome possible.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, "DWI charge for NY teen driver in crash; 2 dead," July 21, 2012