Long Beach DUI Homicide Tragedy: Suspect in Fatal DUI Jumps to his Death in Prison Cell

A fatal DUI in Long Beach is always a needless tragedy. We can all agree on that.

But sometimes horrific events can be ratcheted up in terms of their horribleness fivefold, thanks to “after the crash” mistakes, errors of judgment, lack of decisive positive action, and so forth.

Indeed, many cases of DUI in Burbank, Glendale DUI, Pasadena DUI, Los Angeles DUI, and DUI elsewhere throughout the Southland take turns for the tragically worse – when defendants react non-resourcefully to their situations.

This is all little abstract. So let’s bring it home with a specific example – a case out of suburban Philadelphia. Last week, a 45-year old man, Mathew McNamara, apparently killed himself in prison. He had been charged with vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, after a July 13 automobile accident killed a woman and hurt a child.

According to a local Indiana paper, the Daily Reporter (out of Greenfield, Indiana), McNamara “died from injuries sustained in a fall from the upper level of the cell block at a central Pennsylvania prison… police say accounts of McNamara intentionally jumping from the cell block’s upper level are consistent with surveillance footage.”

Obviously, if you played any role in a fatal Long Beach DUI event – even if you were not fully culpable – the grief and guilt may be weighing heavy on your heart. Even if you caused only minor damage – such as a Long Beach DUI with injury or just damage to an automobile or property – you may be feel overwhelmed, confused, and, frankly, angry at yourself.

But you can’t turn back the clock. What’s done is done. You made a mistake — or you got unfairly charged. And that’s the reality now. The question is: how do you deal resourcefully with your circumstances?

A Los Angeles criminal defense attorney can help you plot out a strategy for your defense, combat charges, and clue you into outside resources to help you deal with your alcohol problem (if you have one).

You face fundamental choices. You may need to make reparations to someone you harmed. But there are resourceful ways of doing this that can not only help release your guilt but also help the victim – or the victim’s family – come to turns with what happened and experience emotional relief.

Doing all this is tricky. And right now, you are probably most concerned with urgent issues: Will you go to jail? For how long? What are your other punishments? What can you do to bring order to this chaos? Etcetera.

Turn to Long Beach attorney Michael Kraut at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (444 West ocean Suite 800 
Long Beach, California 90802 (562) 531-7454) for help with your situation. Mr. Kraut is a former Deputy District Attorney (a high profile prosecutor), and he can help you understand what to do next.

If you have been arrested for a DUI in Long Beach or you are under investigation for driving under the influence in Southern California, please contact Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut for 24/7 assistance by phone at (323) 464-6453 or toll free at (888) 334-6344 or online.