Underage DUI / OVI

Lawyer For Under Age Drunk Driving Charges In Central Ohio

People under 21 charged with drunk driving offenses in Ohio face some different rules.  While the legal alcohol limit for people 21 and over is .08, the limit for people under 21 is .02;  one-fourth as much.  If you or your child has been charged with underage drunk driving in central Ohio, a skilled D.U.I. attorney can help.

Although the alcohol limit is different for people under age 21, the DUI stop and arrest process and the DUI court process are essentially the same.  Officers who suspect underage drinking and driving typically administer field sobriety tests, as well as breath tests, blood tests, and urine tests.  An O.V.I. attorney’s experience with these tests benefits clients of all ages.

Multiple Charges For Ohio Underage Drunk Driving
If a person under 21 has an alcohol test result over .02, they are ordinarily charged with Operating a Vehicle after Underage Consumption (O.V.U.A.C.) and subjected to an Administrative License Suspension.  In addition, a person under 21 may also be charged with O.V.I. (D.U.I.), whether or not they took a chemical alcohol test.  That’s because the O.V.I. charge is not based on the chemical test result;  it’s based on other evidence that the person’s ability to drive is negatively affected by alcohol.

Sentencing For Operating a Vehicle after Under Age Consumption
The punishments for O.V.U.A.C. are different than O.V.I. sentences.  For a first O.V.U.A.C. conviction, the sentence may include a jail sentence of up to 30 days, a fine of up to $250, a license suspension of up to two years, yellow license plates, alcohol treatment, and probation.  For a second O.V.U.A.C. conviction, the jail sentence may be up to 60 days, the fine may be up to $500, and the license suspension may be up to five years.

Unlike O.V.I. cases, a person convicted of O.V.U.A.C. must wait a mandatory 60 days to get limited driving privileges.   Additionally, a person convicted of O.V.U.A.C. must re-take the driver’s license test and periodically provide proof of insurance with the Ohio B.M.V.  A conviction for O.V.U.A.C. can also enhance a later conviction for O.V.I. so the later conviction carries tougher mandatory minimum penalties, and it could lead to being listed in the habitual offender registry. 

Alternatives To Tough Sentences For Underage Drunk Driving
While everyone can understand why there is little tolerance for an underage person to drive drunk, the tough penalties associated with O.V.U.A.C. can be devastating for a young person.  I have represented many clients charged with underage drunk driving in Columbus, Ohio and the surrounding communities.  I can help by investigating the case, exploring legal and factual defenses, and working to arrange alternate sentencing options.  Contact me if you would like to talk about how I can help.