Douglas W. Atkinson, Attorney at Law was hired to represent 20-year-old Daniel Lee Freund, who had been charged with felony intoxication manslaughter—an offense that could have landed him in prison for up to 20 years. The young man was accused of causing an accident that resulted in the death of 16-year-old Caney Creek High School student, Halie McDonald. Freund was only 18 at the time of the accident, which took place more than two years ago. While attempting to make his way around a curve on FM 1485, he lost control of the vehicle and struck a nearby telephone pole.
When help arrived on the scene, both Freund and McDonald were unconscious; unfortunately, Halie was pronounced dead shortly after the pair was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Due to the severity of the accident, police decided to test the driver's blood-alcohol levels. The tests revealed that Freund had been drinking prior to the crash. For this reason, he was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter immediately thereafter. With Attorney Douglas Atkinson by his side, Freund made the decision to plead guilty to the charges, accepting a five-year prison sentence.
The 20-year-old could have faced up to 20 years in prison had he been convicted, but Mr. Atkinson explains that Freund accepted responsibility in pleading to the offense. He further stated that "Daniel Freund and the entire Freund family have the deepest sympathies and offer their sincerest apologies to the family of Halie McDonald for their loss." Since Freund agreed to the five-year sentence with an affirmative finding of a deadly weapon, he will serve at least half of his sentence (2.5 years) before he is eligible for parole.
If you or someone you love has been arrested for a similar DWI offense in Texas, get in touch with a Montgomery DWI lawyer at Douglas W. Atkinson, Attorney at Law today.