Although the “State Codes and Statutes” regarding crimes and offenses such as capital murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, and negligent homicide vary from one state to the other. Nonetheless, under the following typical facts and circumstances, the student could be charged with any of these offenses:
Capital murder: Capital murder is punishable by the death penalty in most states ("Capital offense law"). Although vehicular accidents that cause death are regarded as a felony, a defendant is rarely charged with capital murder. Perhaps the student could have been charged with capital murder if he thought out about killing the professor beforehand, and had some malicious intent in killing the professor. In other words, if the hitting and killing had been planned and premeditated ("18.2-31 - capital"), perhaps the student could be charged with capital murder.
Voluntary manslaughter: In most states, voluntary manslaughter is when a person intentionally kills someone “in heat of passion, in self-defense, or while committing a felony” ("Voluntary manslaughter law") but the killing was not premeditated. The student could be charged with voluntary manslaughter if the Criminal Law professor had provoked the student to such an extent that it caused him to lose his lose self-control and go in a sudden fit of rage as a result of which he intentionally hit the professor with his/her vehicle and killed the professor.
Involuntary manslaughter: Vehicular manslaughter can be regarded as involuntary manslaughter ("Voluntary manslaughter law") under specific circumstances. Involuntary manslaughter is when a person ends up killing someone even though they had no malicious intent in killing that person, nor had they planned to do it ("Involuntary manslaughter law"), but the killing was a result of criminal negligence while committing another unlawful act ("Constructive manslaughter"). The student would be charged with involuntary manslaughter if he/she had killed the professor as a result of reckless driving, perhaps while running a red light, or while committing some other unlawful act.
Negligent homicide: A defendant in a vehicular manslaughter can also be charged negligent homicide. Negligent homicide is when a person, who had no malicious intention of killing someone, ends up killing someone simply because of negligence, such as driving recklessly without any criminal intent ("Negligent homicide law"). The student could be charged with negligent homicide, which is the less-serious form of involuntary manslaughter, if he had just been driving home and perhaps ran a red light negligently, or killed the professor out of negligence.
Considering the provided details, the student would most likely be charged with negligent homicide, but could also be charged with any of the other criminal offenses under the circumstances mentioned.
References
18.2-31 - capital murder defined; punishment. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://law.justia.com/codes/virginia/2010/title-18-2/chapter-4/18-2-31/
Capital offense law & legal definition. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://definitions.uslegal.com/c/capital-offense/
Constructive manslaughter. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.e-lawresources.co.uk/Constructive-manslaughter.php
Constructive manslaughter. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.e-lawresources.co.uk/Constructive-manslaughter.php
Involuntary manslaughter law & legal definition. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://definitions.uslegal.com/i/involuntary-manslaughter/
Negligent homicide law & legal definition. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://definitions.uslegal.com/n/negligent-homicide/
Voluntary manslaughter law & legal definition. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://definitions.uslegal.com/v/voluntary-manslaughter/
