Accordingly, Ohio has two standards for drunk driving: (1) operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a combination of them; and (2) a Blood Alcohol Concentration of .08 or greater.
In court, both the chemical test that demonstrates that BAC level and officer’s testimony about the driver’s performance in field sobriety tests and other personal observations are admissible to establish these standards.
Penalties
OPERATING A VEHICLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE R.C. 4511.19(A), (G) – 6 POINTS
1st OVI in 6 years- Misdemeanor-1
- 3 days jail or DIP program up to 6 months
- $375 - $1075
- Treatment optional
- Class 5 license suspension (6 months to 3 years)
- Driving privileges after 15 days
- Restricted plates and interlock optional
- No immobilization or forfeitures
- Misdemeanor-1
- 6 days jail or 3 days in jail and 3 days DIP program up to 6 months
- $375 - $1075
- Treatment optional
- Class 5 license suspension (6 months to 3 years)
- Driving privileges after 15 days
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock optional
- No immobilization or forfeiture
- Misdemeanor-1
- 10 days jail or 5 days in jail and 18 days house arrest and or CAM up to 6 months
- $525 - $1625
- Alcohol/drug assessment and recommended treatment mandatory
- Class 4 license suspension (1 to 5 years)
- Driving privileges after 45 days
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related
- 90 days immobilization if vehicle registered to Defendant
2nd OVI in 6 years and high test or refusal with prior in 20 years
- Misdemeanor-1
- 20 days jail or 10 days in jail and 36 days house arrest and or CAM up to 6 months
- $525 - $1625
- Alcohol/drug assessment and recommended treatment mandatory
- Class 4 license suspension (1 to 5 years)
- Driving privileges after 45 days
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related; optional if drug related
- 90 days immobilization if vehicle registered to Defendant
- Not classified misdemeanor
- 30 days jail or 15 days in jail and 55 days house arrest and or CAM up to 1 year
- $850 - $2750
- Alcohol/drug addiction program mandatory
- Class 3 license suspension (2 to 10 years)
- Driving privileges after 180 days
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related; optional if drug related
- Forfeiture if registered to Defendant
- Not classified misdemeanor
- 60 days jail or 30 days in jail and 55 days house arrest and or CAM up to 1 year
- $850 - $2750
- Alcohol/drug addiction program mandatory
- Class 3 license suspension (2 to 10 years)
- Driving privileges after 180 days
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related; optional if drug related
- Forfeiture if registered to Defendant
4th or 5th OVI in 6 years or 6th OVI in 20 years
- Felony-4
- 60 days in local jail and up to 1 year and 60 days prison with additional 6 to 30 months
- $1350 - $10,500
- Alcohol/drug addiction program mandatory
- Class 2 license suspension (3 years to life)
- Driving privileges after 3 years
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related; optional if drug related
- Forfeiture if registered to Defendant
- Felony-4
- 120 days in local jail and up to 1 year or 120 days prison with additional 6 to 30 months
- $1350 - $10,500
- Alcohol/drug addiction program mandatory
- Class 2 license suspension (3 years to life)
- Driving privileges after 3 years
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related; optional if drug related
- Forfeiture if registered to Defendant
- Felony-3
- 60 days prison up to 5 years
- $1350 - $10,500
- Alcohol/drug addiction program mandatory
- Class 2 license suspension (3 years to life)
- Driving privileges after 3 years
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related; optional if drug related
- Forfeiture if registered to Defendant
2nd felony lifetime and high test or refusal
- Felony-3
- 120 days prison up to 5 years
- $1350 - $10,500
- Alcohol/drug addiction program mandatory
- Class 2 license suspension (3 years to life)
- Driving privileges after 3 years
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related; optional if drug related
- Forfeiture if registered to Defendant
- Felony-3 or Felony-4
- 120 days prison up to 5 years and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years consecutive
- $1350 - $10,500
- Alcohol/drug addiction program mandatory
- Class 2 license suspension (3 years to life)
- Driving privileges after 3 years
- Restricted plates required for high test; interlock required if alcohol related; optional if drug related
- Forfeiture if registered to Defendant
- No privileges may be granted in suspension imposed on offender who, within preceding six years, has had 3 or more convictions or guilty plea. R.C. 4510.13(A)(3).
- First Ohio OVI conviction results in one-year commercial driver’s license (CDL) disqualification and second anytime results in lifetime disqualification. R.C. 4506.16(D).
- CDL operators are subject to lower alcohol and controlled substance levels plus separate offenses under R.C. 4506.
- DIP stands for Driver Intervention Program certified under R.C. 4506.16(D).
- House arrest also referred to as HAEM house arrest with electronic monitoring.
- CAM stands for continuous alcohol monitoring.
- Waiver may be granted for immobilization of vehicle for family or household member if completely dependent on vehicle and would result in undue hardship. R.C. 4511.19(G)(3)
- Court has authority to reduce Class 3 suspension from 2 years to 1 year. R.C. 4510.13(A)(2)(b)
OPERATING A VEHICLE AFTER UNDERAGE CONSUMPTION R.C. 4511.19(B), (H) – 4 POINTS
1st underage OVI in 1 year- Misdemeanor-4
- 0 to 30 days jail
- $0 to $250
- Treatment optional
- Class 6 license suspension (90 days to 2 years)
- Driving privileges after 60 days
- Restricted plates and interlock optional
- No immobilization or forfeiture
- Misdemeanor-3
- 0 to 60 days jail
- $0 to $500
- Treatment optional
- Class 4 license suspension (1 to 5 years)
- Driving privileges after 60 days
- Restricted plates and interlock optional
- No immobilization or forfeiture
PHYSICAL CONTROL WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE R.C. 4511.194 – O POINTS
Any physical control offense- Misdemeanor-1
- 0 to 180 days jail
- $0 to $1000
- Treatment optional
- Class 7 license suspension optional (up to 1 year)
- No Driving restrictions
- Restricted plates and interlock optional
- No immobilization or forfeiture
Implied Consent Statute – R.C. 4511.191(A)(2)
Any person who operates a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley upon a highway or any public or private property used by the public for vehicular travel or parking within this state or who is in physical control of a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley shall be deemed to have given consent to a chemical test or tests of the person’s whole blood, blood serum or plasma, breath, or urine to determine the alcohol, drug of abuse, controlled substance, metabolite of a controlled substance, or combination content of the person’s whole blood, blood serum or plasma, breath, or urine if arrested for a violation of division (A) or (B) of Sections 4511.19 of the Revised Code, Section 4511.194 of the Revised Code or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, or a municipal OVI ordinance.
By driving on Ohio highways, you have given your implied consent to chemical testing for whole blood, blood serum or plasma, breath, or urine to determine the alcohol, drug of abuse, controlled substance, metabolite of a controlled substance, or combination content Blood Alcohol Concentration. You can always refuse the testing, but the following penalties will apply in addition to any other criminal penalties:REFUSAL OF CHEMICAL TEST R.C. 4511.191(B)
1st refusal/offense in 6 years- Class C license suspension (1 year)
- Driving privileges after 30 days
- Restricted plates optional as condition for privileges
- Interlock optional as condition for privileges
- Class B license suspension (2 years)
- Driving privileges after 90 days
- Restricted plates optional as condition for privileges
- Interlock optional as condition for privileges
- Class A license suspension (3 years)
- Driving privileges after 1 year
- Restricted plates optional as condition for privileges
- Interlock optional as condition for privileges
- (5 years)
- Driving privileges after 3 years
- Restricted plates optional as condition for privileges
- Interlock optional as condition for privileges
FAILED CHEMICAL TEST R.C. 4511.191(C)
1st refusal/offense in 6 years- Class E license suspension (90 days)
- Driving privileges after 15 days
- Restricted plates optional as condition for privileges
- Interlock optional as condition for privileges
- Class C license suspension (I year)
- Driving privileges after 45 days
- Restricted plates optional as condition for privileges
- Interlock optional as condition for privileges
- Class B license suspension (2 years)
- Driving privileges after 180 days
- Restricted plates optional as condition for privileges
- Interlock required if alcohol related, optional if drug related as condition for privileges
- Class A license suspension (90 days)
- Driving privileges after 3 years
- Restricted plates optional as condition for privileges
- Interlock required if alcohol related, optional if drug related as condition for privileges
Links
http://www.ghmc.org
http://bmv.ohio.gov/driver_license/dui_law.htm
http://www.ohiojustice.com/CM/Docs/table1.htm
http://www.ohiojustice.com/CM/Docs/table2.htm