Being convicted of an OVI is a serious consequence for driving under the influence. In Ohio, the state has strong penalties that are intended to discourage people from drunk driving. One of the ways that the state discourages repeat offenders from driving under the influence, the penalties for subsequent violations grow significantly more serious. Be prepared for this if you find yourself facing a new OVI charge and know what you are up against.
What are the standard OVI penalties?
When you are first convicted of drunk driving in Ohio, you will face three penalties which vary depending on the severity of your offense. The first will be jail time, between three days and up to six months. The second is a criminal fine of between $375 to $1,075. The final penalty is the suspension of your license for one to three years.
The penalties increase for your second and third OVI convictions
After your first OVI conviction, the penalties minimums and maximums increase with all further convictions. Your minimum jail time increases to 10 days for a second DUI within 10 years of your previous conviction. Your criminal fine also increases to between $525 to $1,625, and your license suspension can be for as long as seven years.
A third DUI takes these even further. Minimum jail time is a total of 30 days and can go as long as a full year. Your fine also now starts at $850 and caps at $2,750, and you could lose your license for between two and twelve years. All of these are serious criminal misdemeanors, however, they can be higher if they are considered an aggravated OVI.
What is an aggravated OVI charge?
In all cases of an OVI conviction, you may face even more significant penalties if your blood alcohol content exceeds .17%. A first-time aggravated OVI will require you to complete a three-day driver’s intervention program to be educated on safe driving. Your second and third aggravated OVI convictions will mean a higher minimum jail sentence and between 36 to 110 days of house arrest will be monitored for alcohol consumption.
OVI convictions are felonies after your third OVI
After your third OVI conviction within 10 years, all subsequent OVIs are felonies, not misdemeanors. This raises your potential jail time to five years, and your criminal penalties up to $10,500. This can happen if you are convicted of a fourth OVI, as well as in other OVIs which result in serious injuries or even deaths. These are called aggravated vehicular assault and aggravated vehicular homicide, both felonies that can see you jailed for years with fines ranging from $10,000 to $15,000.