In March, repeat DUI offender Mark Mullan lost control of his pickup truck and struck four members of the same family in a crosswalk. The accident resulted in two deaths and serious injuries to the other two victims. The accident also partially led to the approval of strict new DUI laws in Washington that only recently went into effect.

The 51-year-old Mullan was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter DUI and other crimes for the deaths. At the time of the accident, not only was Mullan's blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit, but he had also violated state ignition interlock laws by failing to install the device in his pickup truck. Mullan was also on probation for a prior DUI conviction, under the supervision of the Seattle Municipal Court Probation Department, and had a suspended license.

Mullan faced up to 18 years in prison for the crime. This week he accepted the blame for the deaths and pleaded guilty to the crimes, reports The Seattle Times. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for mid-November. The specific terms of the plea deal may be revealed then.

If you have been charged with a drunk driving offense, you should know that it may make sense to strike a plea deal in some circumstances. A plea deal offers certain benefits such as sparing the victims a long, lengthy trial. In addition, you can save court costs and attorney fees. Prosecutors may also offer favorable terms such as reduced prison terms and perhaps even agreeing to a lesser charge.

To learn more about plea deals in drunk driving cases, talk to a Seattle DUI attorney at Wolff Criminal Defense. Call us at 425-284-2000 to discuss any specific questions.