Facing a Vehicular Homicide Charge in Miami? Start With a Free Consultation.

A free consultation for a vehicular homicide charge in Miami is a confidential case review with no obligation to continue. Patrick Wilson Law offers it to people facing this charge and to their families. This page explains what the meeting covers, what to bring and what happens afterward.

What the free first consultation is

The first consultation is free, confidential and carries no obligation to continue. It gives you a chance to review your situation before you commit to anything.

It fits two kinds of readers. The first is a person charged with vehicular homicide in Miami-Dade County. The second is a family member of someone arrested after a fatal crash. Either way, you may have questions you can’t answer yet.

The meeting is a case review, not a court appearance. You talk through the charge, the crash and your paperwork. You can ask anything, and you can take your time deciding what comes next.

Vehicular homicide is a felony. Under Fla. Stat. § 782.071, it is the killing of a human being, or of an unborn child by any injury to the mother, caused by another person operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner likely to cause the death of, or great bodily harm to, another.

To set up your review, call 786-761-1719 or send a message through our contact page.

What to bring to your consultation

Bring every paper you have about the arrest, the charge and the crash. A complete file lets the meeting cover more ground.

• Charging and booking papers. Include the arrest paperwork and the exact charge listed.
• Bond paperwork and court notices. Bring any bond receipt, release conditions and your first court date.
• The crash report and police report number. Bring any citation issued at the scene.
• Prior record information. Include past traffic citations or criminal matters you know about.
• A written timeline. Note the hours before and after the crash, where you were and who was with you.
• Names of witnesses. List anyone who saw the crash or spoke with you that night.
• Your questions. Write them down so the meeting covers what matters most to you.

What the lawyer reviews during the consultation

The lawyer reviews the charge, the statutes behind it and the facts in your documents. Four legal points usually shape that review.

First, the charge level. Vehicular homicide can be a second-degree or a first-degree felony. Under Fla. Stat. § 782.071, the first-degree version can apply when the person knew, or should have known, the accident occurred and failed to give information and render aid.

Second, leaving the scene. Under Fla. Stat. § 316.027, a driver in a crash that causes death must stop and stay at the scene.

Third, statements to police. Under Fla. Stat. § 316.062, a driver involved in a crash that injures or kills someone, or damages a vehicle or other property that someone is driving or attending, must give their name, address and vehicle registration number. The duty to make a report or give information to a law enforcement officer making a written report about the crash does not extend to information that would violate the driver’s privilege against self-incrimination.

Fourth, bond. When deciding whether to release a defendant on bail or other conditions, a court must consider, among other things, the defendant’s family ties, length of residence in the community, employment history, and past and present conduct. Whether another driver’s conduct matters to the charge depends on the facts in your file.

What happens after the consultation

After the review, you decide whether to continue. You can take time to choose, and you are not required to hire the firm.

If you do continue, the lawyer explains the representation, your next court dates and the evidence to request. The early steps follow Florida’s court rules:

1. Under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.130, except when previously released in a lawful manner, an arrested person must be taken before a judge within 24 hours of arrest, in person or by audio-video communication technology at the court’s discretion. The judge must tell you the charge and that you need not say anything.
2. Pretrial release. Under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.131, a person is entitled to pretrial release on reasonable conditions, unless charged with a capital offense or an offense punishable by life imprisonment and the proof of guilt is evident or the presumption is great. Those conditions may include a surety bail bond or a recognizance bond.
3. Discovery. Under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.220, the prosecutor must disclose witness names and the defendant’s own statements. Under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.220, within 15 days after service of the Notice of Discovery the prosecutor must serve a written Discovery Exhibit; material that tends to negate the defendant’s guilt must be disclosed as soon as practicable after the filing of the charging document.
4. Case timeline. The schedule depends on the evidence and the court’s calendar.

No outcome can be promised at the consultation. Its purpose is to help you decide with clearer information.

Why Patrick Wilson Law for this review

Patrick Wilson Law, PLLC is a Miami criminal defense firm. It represents people across South Florida, from Broward County to the Florida Keys.

Patrick David Wilson is the responsible lawyer for this page. Sahara Fonseca is also one of the firm’s lawyers. Our lawyers and our team work from the Miami office, and our team also includes office and support staff.

The firm focuses its criminal defense work on DUI, domestic violence, sexual battery and traffic homicide charges. It gives particular attention to first-time offenders and licensed professionals whose careers are at stake.

For this matter, the relevant services are vehicular homicide defense, leaving the scene of an accident defense and criminal defense for licensed professionals. This page makes no claims about results, rankings or reputation. It describes only what the firm does and where it operates.

Common questions about the free consultation

Take the next step on your vehicular homicide charge

A fatal crash, a pending charge and bond papers on the table is a lot to carry alone. Gather the documents from the checklist above. Bring them to a free, confidential first consultation with Patrick Wilson Law in Miami, so your questions come first.