Patituce & Associates Can Navigate Your OVI Case
In Ohio, drunk driving offenses are called Operating a Vehicle Impaired charges, or OVI. These are charges that drivers from every walk of life encounter and can result from a simple, momentary lapse of judgment. The state of Ohio, however, provides stiff penalties for anyone convicted of operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit.
At Patituce & Associates, our dedicated Toledo DUI defense attorneys have experience both defending and prosecuting the accused in courts all over the state. That background, combined with our incisive understanding of this controversial area of criminal defense, allows our team to provide effective counsel to OVI clients who need their interests and rights asserted before the law. Call our team at (419) 597-5849 today to start exploring your options with one of our Toledo DUI defense attorneys.
Penalties for OVI in Ohio
There are essentially two tiers of severity when it comes to OVI charges in Ohio. One is for all drivers caught with their BAC between 0.08% and 0.16%. The second and more serious tier is reserved for drivers with a BAC of 0.17% or more. This BAC distinction can, in some cases, have an effect on what penalties the accused is exposed to in their OVI case.
Penalties for drunk driving in Ohio can include:
- First offense – Fines up to $1,075 and at least three days in jail
- Second offense – Fines up to $1,625 and up to 6 months of jail
- Third offense – Fines up to $2,500 and up to one year in jail
- Fourth offense – Fines up to $10,000 and up to five years in jail
- Fifth offense – Contact our firm today for further information
Please note that these are only some of the penalties that can come with these convictions. License revocation comes with each of these charges and other measures, such as continuous alcohol monitoring, house arrest, alcohol abuse education, even surrendering your vehicle are possible, as well. To learn more about what specific penalties you could be exposed to, contact our firm today.
“How You can Help Me?”
One of the biggest misconceptions about drunk driving cases is that the driver is convicted as soon as they fail their BAC test (breathalyzer, urine test, etc.). It’s easy to feel that once this test is failed, you’ve been “caught” and that you might as well accept whatever the court sees fit to hand down for punishment.
This, however, is a misconception. Even after failing a BAC test, a driver is only suspected of DUI and many of them have very viable defense options as they face their coming court dates.
Important considerations in every OVI include:
- The reason why you were stopped. In OVI cases, police officers need to be able to produce probable cause as to why they pulled you over. Our firm regularly reviews dash camera footage to ensure that law enforcement was not overstepping when they pulled our clients over.
- The reason you were ordered out of your vehicle. We also look at the reasons law enforcement gives for removing the driver from the vehicle. This, too, requires probable cause and when an officer wrongly removes a driver from the vehicle, everything after becomes invalidated.
- Sobriety test protocol. Our firm also closely examines how and when the sobriety tests were conducted. Ohio recognizes the NHTSA sobriety test protocols and, when these are not followed (or there is something wrong with the technology itself), the results of the test can be challenged.
Contact a Toledo DUI Lawyer
When OVI clients come to us, they first and foremost want to know how much their defense will cost and how we plan on defending them. These are understandable concerns and we always endeavor to collect all the information we can on OVI cases before offering answers. What we can confirm is that your case will receive thorough and personalized counsel and that we have a proven track record of securing OVI dismissals for many of our clients. We’re ready to face this uncertain time with you. Request a free, no-obligation phone consultation with our Toledo DUI defense lawyers today.