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Skilled Criminal Vehicular Operation Lawyers in Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Meet Our Minneapolis Criminal Vehicular Operation Attorneys

Attorney Kyle Dreger

Kyle Dreger

Attorney Gerald Miller

Gerald Miller

How Can Our Criminal Vehicular Operation Attorneys Help You?

DWI Injury Collision

Hit and Run

Grossly Negligent Operation

Reckless Driving with Injury

Section 609.2113 of the Minnesota Statutes is one of the most complex and most serious felonies in the Gopher State. This statute covers most impaired driving offenses which cause serious injury or death. So, this part of the law applies to a number of situations and the potential penalties are quite severe.

Serious charges like CVO demand a serious attorney, like Gerald Miller, P.A. We focus on making complex things simple and on reducing or eliminating the catastrophic consequences of a felony conviction. We break things down for clients so they understand exactly what they are facing, and we focus on simple defenses that are easy for jurors to embrace. Furthermore, we work hard to help our clients avoid felony convictions.

DWI Injury Collision Defense

As proficient Minneapolis Criminal Vehicular Operation attorneys, we know that this law splits DWI-related injuries into Bodily Harm, Substantial Bodily Harm, and Great Bodily Harm, and Great Bodily Harm. The more severe the injury, the worse the penalty, as follows:

  • BH (any physical injury): one year in jail,
  • SBH (substantial but temporary disfigurement, loss of function, or fracture): three years in prison, and
  • GBH (permanent injury or an injury that carries a high probability of death): five years in prison.

Generally, an injury requiring first aid is BH, a visit to the ER is SBH, and hospital admission is GBH. Prosecutors must establish the extent of injury, usually with medical records. These same injury categories also apply in other CVO subcategories, such as reckless driving with injury.

The state also has the burden of proof regarding the DWI itself. Prosecutors must show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant was driving the vehicle while intoxicated. Both these points are often hard to prove. Frequently, there is no eyewitness testimony or other evidence which conclusively placed the defendant behind the wheel at the time of the crash. Additionally, unless someone administered a chemical test, prosecutors must rely on circumstantial evidence of intoxication.

Hit and Run Defense

Fleeing the scene of an accident, whether or not you were at fault for the crash and whether or not you knew about the crash, can also be a felony. Once again, the penalty depends on the extent of the alleged victim’s injuries.

Gerald Miller, an adept Minneapolis Criminal Vehicular Operation attorney, often resolves these cases before trial. If the defendant immediately surrenders, prosecutors are often willing to drop or at least greatly reduce the charges. Only an experienced lawyer can negotiate a favorable deal like this one.

At trial, the state sometimes has proof issues. Frequently, the state lacks a witness who can place the defendant behind the wheel at or near the time of the crash. Proving something like vehicle ownership is not enough. The state must prove, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the defendant was driving the car. Furthermore, if the defendant admitted driving to investigators, that statement might be inadmissible.

Grossly Negligent Operation Defense

Any good Minneapolis Criminal Vehicular Operation attorney knows that Minnesota law does not define “grossly negligent.” Typically, this phrase means “extremely careless.” Committing multiple traffic violations at once, like zipping between lanes at a high speed without signaling, is usually gross negligence. Extreme violations, like street racing in a school zone, are usually grossly negligent as well.
Since there is no set definition, judges have a great deal of discretion in this area. And, they normally side with prosecutors in these disputes. In a real sense, “grossly negligent operation” is whatever the state says it is.

The injury portion of this offense is different. As mentioned above, there are set standards for what constitutes bodily harm, substantial bodily harm, and great bodily harm.
Assume Tom hits Frank, and Frank bangs his head on the steering wheel. Frank’s injury is technically bodily harm, but without any medical evidence, prosecutors will be hard-pressed to establish the extent of Frank’s injury beyond a reasonable doubt.

Let’s change the facts a bit. Assume Frank cuts his chin badly and he goes to the emergency room. After a three-hour wait, Frank gets tired of waiting and he goes home. Prosecutors will likely jump on the cut notation in the police report and file SBH charges. But when the case goes to court, there might not be enough medical evidence to support such a charge.

Reckless Driving with Injury Defense

Minnesota law clearly defines this offense, and the definition has a number of moving parts, as follows:

  • Prior citation
  • Of defective maintenance
  • No remedial action
  • Driver “had reason to know that the defect created a present danger to others,” and
  • The defect caused an injury.

A lack of evidence on any point causes this CVO prosecution to collapse like a house of cards. And, there are lots of opportunities for a Minnesota criminal defense attorney to create doubt.

Assume Sally’s brakes were bad. She hit Jennifer, causing serious injury. If Sally had the brakes checked but did not authorize the repairs, she arguably took some remedial action, even though she did not fix the brakes.

Or, assume Sally’s car had a defective turn signal. That defect could cause a serious injury accident. But most people would not say that a busted turn signal “created a present danger to others.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Largely depending on the extent of injury, the prison term for CVO could be between one and five years. Prosecutors must typically use medical evidence to establish the extent of injury beyond a reasonable doubt.

CVO is an umbrella term for various illegal driving behaviors which cause serious injury. Specific CVO infractions include a DWI injury collision, hit and run, grossly negligent operation (usually due to multiple traffic infractions), and reckless operation (usually due to an unsafe vehicle).

Since CVO is a felony, a conviction could restrict gun ownership rights. Additionally, a CVO arrest or conviction could be sufficient for officials to take action under Minnesota’s red flag law. This law makes it illegal for people to own firearms if they are a danger to themselves or others./p>

All three degrees of CVO are felonies.

DUI, or driving under the influence, does not have an injury element. If the defendant was intoxicated and caused an injury or serious injury crash, prosecutors usually file CVO charges.

How We Make A Difference For You

See What Our Clients Say

doqo
doqo
Hands down the best law firm for helping me with a genuine and meaningful outcome with my case, Kyle, Brian and their team worked hard in producing a successful outcome and they deserve praise. Constant updates, and making sure to complete personal assignments to help me with my case was critical and they helped steer me in the right path and they picked up my phone calls to answer any and all questions during anytime of the day which was fantastic.-Ahmed
Naomi
Naomi
Gerald is by far one of the most knowledgeable attorneys I have interviewed for my case. He gave me solid advice and spoke with integrity. He loves what he does and is passionate. He is the best defense attorney I spoke to. Very easy to understand, no question was unanswered and given more information that I never got from other attorneys.
naghsri immiddisetti
naghsri immiddisetti
They did great, it means a lot. They helped me right away with the questions and concerns. Annalise, you're the best, You answered my call in difficult situations all the time. Highly appreciated and highly recommended.
Samuel Takata
Samuel Takata
Black woman at front desk was quite rude to me, when I was dropping a delivery off.
Igor Kovalchuk
Igor Kovalchuk
Kyle just recently finished my case and i couldn’t be anymore happier. What an amazing experience overall. From picking up my phone call on Christmas Day, and answering all my questions and concerns, to helping me understand the process going forward, and just yesterday he got a verdict I’m an super happy with. I can not even put into words how much I loved working with Kyle. If anyone I know ever needs legal assistance, going forward I will highly recommend this Law-firm and Kyle specifically. Again, thank you Kyle for all your help.
anuta serbinenko
anuta serbinenko
Kyle’s work is amazing, he is true and honest about every detail. He truly is an amazing lawyer! I appreciate his hard work and dedication. Working with Kyle has made a huge impact on my life and future. Open and honest communication and his outstanding service to fight for you is top notch. Once again Kyle you do amazing work, I am grateful.

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