If you recently received your first drunk driving offense in Ohio, you face a variety of administrative and criminal penalties. Fines, jail time, driver intervention programs and driver license suspension are all potential consequences of a DUI or DWI charge.
Whether you are facing charges or you just want to know more about the repercussions, keep reading for details on drunk driving punishments and what you can do about them.
Criminal penalties
If you are guilty of a drunk driving offense for the first time with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between 0.08 percent and 0.17 percent, here are the criminal consequences:
- Mandatory jail time of 72 hours or a driver intervention course
- Fines between $375 and $1,075
Longer jail time and additional charges may be necessary with a BAC over 0.17 percent.
Administrative penalties
Not only will you face criminal charges with such an offense, but the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) also gives administrative penalties. For a first drunk driving offense, they may suspend your license for up to 90 days. If you refuse to take a chemical test, they will immediately suspend your license for one year.
Fighting the penalties
In certain circumstances, the court may modify your license suspension to let you drive for specific purposes. The court may give limited driving privileges for:
- Work-related, educational or medical purposes
- Taking a driver license exam
- Attending court-ordered rehabilitation
You can also appeal your license suspension. For a successful appeal, you must generally be able to prove the officer did not have probable cause for pulling you over, did not ask you to take a chemical test, or failed to inform you of the consequences of failing or refusing the test.
The courts can also reduce or eliminate criminal penalties under certain circumstances with a viable defense. For more information about drunk driving penalties and how to fight them, contact a criminal defense attorney.