{"id":3918,"date":"2026-10-16T03:54:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T03:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/patrickwilsonlaw.com\/resources\/vehicular-homicide-defense-attorney-south-florida\/cdl-driver-vehicular-homicide-defense-florida\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T14:48:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T14:48:21","slug":"cdl-driver-vehicular-homicide-defense-florida","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/patrickwilsonlaw.com\/resources\/vehicular-homicide-defense-attorney-south-florida\/cdl-driver-vehicular-homicide-defense-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"Vehicular Homicide Charges in Florida: Sentence Limits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Vehicular Homicide Defense | South Florida<\/p>

Facing a Vehicular Homicide Charge? Understand Florida's Sentence Limits<\/h1>

Patrick David Wilson, a Miami criminal defense attorney, explains how the charge grade, the facts of the case and applicable law shape the possible sentence. Your free first consultation is confidential and carries no obligation.<\/p>

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By Patrick David Wilson \u00b7 Published October 15, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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Vehicular homicide charges in Florida start with the felony grade. The base grade is a second-degree felony, and certain facts can raise it to a first-degree felony. The general fine cap for those grades is $10,000, but the prison term and any actual sentence depend on the facts and the sentencing rules that apply. This page explains those limits for commercial driver license (CDL) holders, including what a charge can mean for a license and a job. It is general information, not a prediction of any result. Patrick David Wilson practices criminal defense from an office in Miami, Florida.<\/p>\n

What a CDL Vehicular Homicide Charge Means in Florida<\/h2>\n

A vehicular homicide charge is a felony charge under Florida’s vehicular homicide statute. For a CDL holder, the charge can also raise questions about driving privileges and work.<\/p>\n

Florida’s statute describes the offense as a death caused by operating a motor vehicle “in a reckless manner likely to cause the death of, or great bodily harm to, another.” Fla. Stat. \u00a7 782.071<\/a> sets out that rule and its grades.<\/p>\n

This page is written for two readers. The first is a commercial driver who may face a charge. The second is a family member gathering facts before any lawyer is retained.<\/p>\n

This page covers Florida law only. It does not cover New York law, and it does not cover general murder or manslaughter.<\/p>\n\n

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What the State Must Prove in a Vehicular Homicide Case<\/h2>\n

The core elements are these:<\/p>\n