VCU student could serve 20 years for death of fellow student Further action by university could follow if convicted

Virginia Commonwealth University

OFFICE OF JUDICIAL AFFAIRS & ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Court Jurisdictions vary

Varinder ‘Vick’ Chahal, the accused driver of the car that hit the car Carolina Perez was in, faces a possible 20-year sentence for an involuntary manslaughter charge.

Mark Robinson Assistant News Editor

Mason Brown Staff Writer

VCU student Varinder Chahal could receive a 20-year prison sentence for his role in a DUI accident that left a fellow VCU student dead.

Chahal, 23, was arrested last week on charges of felony manslaughter, driving under the influence and refusal to submit a blood or breath test after a fatal car collision that killed Carolina Perez and injured two other students.

Chahal was driving in a car with four other passengers at the time of the accident. No one in Chahal’s vehicle was injured and the identities of the passengers have not been released.

On Monday, Chahal’s bail was set at $25,000 at the Richmond General District Court with the intent to allow him to finish his degree at VCU. The judge also required that Chahal surrender his passport and driver’s license.

As reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, area prosecutors are attempting to elevate the charge to aggravated involuntary manslaughter, which carries a minimum 20-year sentence because of the alcohol consumed and nature of the driving at the time of the accident.

Prosecutors will attempt to raise the charge on March 7 when Chahal is scheduled to appear before a grand jury.

Chahal’s DUI charge and refusal of a blood test carry a minimum of oneyear license suspension and a $250 fine.

Chahal is a senior accounting major

Not Guilty

Incident

Via police, generally VCU PD

Judicial Affairs & Academic Integrity meet with students to review student Off-Campus Conduct Policy.

No Action

Guilty Student found guilty, case continued with sanctions or taken under advisement.

Provost Decides upon action taken by the university.

University Hearing Board

One student, one faculty, one administrator, one classified staff and one faculty Chair determine innocence or guilt and sanction.

Judicial Affairs & Academic Integrity meet with students to confirm the sanction imposed by the court and to review the details of the incident.

Recommends Sanction Student may accept administrative adjunction.

Not Guilty

Guilty at VCU. However, the university cannot confirm whether or not he will return to VCU this semester.

Case information destroyed.

Accepts Case filed and sanctions recorded President Issues final disposition.

“We have a responsibility to protect the privacy of all of our students,” said Mike Porter, public relations specialist at VCU. Porter did confirm that Chahal is still enrolled at VCU, but would not comment further.

Three of Chahal’s professors declined to comment on his possible

University Appeal Board return to school.

A student may make an appeal based on procedural error or the availability of new evidence, if they are concerned that the policy has not been properly interpreted, if they believe the decision is not supported by the evidence, and if they feel the sanction imposed is not proportionate to the gravity of the misconduct. One student, one faculty, one administrator, one classified staff and one faculty chair hear appeal and make recommendation to president.

At VCU, a student charged with a crime must first be convicted before any disciplinary action is considered by the university. If convicted, the student can be subjected to further punishment by the university at the discretion of the provost.

The student would then face the University Hearing Board, which includes one student, faculty member, administrator, classified staff member and faculty chairperson. A student’s punishment is decided by the board.

The first decision can be appealed and the case retried by a similar panel. The president makes the final decision in appeals cases.

The CT attempted to contact Chahal and his lawyer by phone but recieved no response as of press time. CT.