That’s a coincidence... I have a friend who’s up for murder in Huntington Beach, due to an accident of a different nature. I’m praying she only gets “Manslaughter”, but the case depends on if they agree it was a horrible accident.
In some states, like California, it can be 2nd degree murder from an auto accident. Usually, to be murder, it needs to be driving the wrong way on an interstate, racing on residential streets, or something like that, usually while over the legal alcohol limit.
Todd Spitzer, The D.A. is notoriously tough, and defies the “soft on crime” stereotype of CA Law enforcement. I know a guy from Riverside who got a DUI here, for over .10 (limit .08) and his lawyer said “OK, well see about getting a deal . . . oh wait, Orange County ? You are getting the max.”