Fatal DUI Crash Leads to ... First Degree Murder Conviction?

Sixteen-year-old Marquis Harrison was drunk. Really drunk. He was also “rolling” on ecstasy. Obviously, one should not drive in such a condition. He not only drove, but he stole a vehicle. Bad move, kid.

After he ran a red light, he was pulled over. He then decided to back into the police car before fleeing the scene. The cops gave chase before Harrison eventually collided with an off-duty police dispatcher’s car. She died after her vehicle ended up wrapped around a fire hydrant on the driver’s side.

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Harrison took off on foot, and was chased down by officers. His blood alcohol content when tested was 0.186, plus he had ecstasy and marijuana in his system, reports the Chicago Tribune. That’s a DUI hat trick for all of you sports fans.

Based on those facts, there’s an obvious potential for charges of DUI, resisting arrest, vehicular manslaughter, DUI manslaughter, and a bevy of other charges relating to hitting the police car. We must not forget the stolen Land Rover either.

Still, a first degree murder charge out of a DUI collision is pretty severe. Then again, is there a more egregious example of an innocent person dying in a DUI collision?

First degree murder can be charged in Illinois when the murder was intentional (not the case here) or when someone commits an act that “create[s] a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to [an] individual.” Driving under a trifecta of drugs alone creates a pretty strong possibility of bodily harm to others, though that alone likely would not suffice for first degree murder, as there are other charges, such as the vehicular manslaughter charges typically brought in DUI death cases.

However, tack on the auto theft felony, resisting arrest, and police chase, and Harrison set the stage for a much higher level of recklessness that led to an innocent person’s death.

First degree murder is punishable by up to a life sentence in prison. However, under terms of the plea bargain reached late last week, Harrison will only serve twenty-five years, reports the Tribune. Mitigating factors probably included his age (sixteen) and stellar academic and extracurricular record. He was an honor student with a 3.79 GPA and quarterback of an undefeated high school football team before his criminal activities stunted his promise.

If there is a prisoner capable of turning things around in prison, one would suspect that a young and (arguably) intelligent individual like Harrison might be that inmate.

Related Resources:

• Consult a Chicago DUI Defense Attorney (FindLaw)
• Teen charged in crash that killed police dispatcher (Chicago Tribune)
• Marquis Harrison Charged With First-Degree Murder in Fatal DUI (FindLaw’s Chicago DUI Blog)
• Ask A Question About DUI (FindLaw Answers)