A driver who is drunk and unintentionally kills a pedestrian could be charged with what offense?

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When someone dies as a result of another person’s dangerous, unintentional act, the charge is typically involuntary manslaughter. The crucial distinction here is intent. First-degree murder requires planning or deliberation to kill, which isn’t present when a driver, while intoxicated, unintentionally causes a death. Reckless endangerment looks at creating a dangerous situation, not at a death that results. Vehicular homicide can be charged in some jurisdictions, but many places treat a drunken driving death as involuntary manslaughter because the driver acted with criminal negligence—driving while intoxicated—without an explicit intent to kill. So, the death caused by the intoxicated driving fits involuntary manslaughter best, reflecting the unintentional killing tied to criminally negligent behavior.