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Virginia Legal News

Third time DUI driver convicted in fatal crash


Posted on Jul 20, 2009

This past week the driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal two-car collision that took the life of a 19 year old man was convicted.  The driver, Matthew Burch, 35, was convicted of reckless involuntary DUI manslaughter, homicide, and DUI third offense.

 

The accident happened this past April when Burch was driving east in the westbound lanes of Richmond Road near Barnes Road.  Burch crashed his Jeep Liberty head-on into a Chrysler Cirrus being driven by Christopher Mellis.

 

Mellis died at the scene of the accident while Burch was not seriously injured.  Burch was taken to Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center for treatment, where he submitted to a blood alcohol test.  The tests showed that he had a BAC of 0.26.  Burch was also tested at the Virginia Department of Forensic Science and that test showed a BAC of 0.22.

 

Burch’s two prior DUI convictions happened in Virginia Beach (2001) and Henrico (2004).  He served no significant jail time for either conviction and for his second conviction he accepted a plea agreement that dismissed additional charges of marijuana possession and refusal of a breathalyzer.

 

Burch will be sentenced in September and could face up to 65 years in jail.

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