Each day, 32 people in the United States die, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 45 minutes. We at the Goldberg Law Offices know the emotional and physical damage caused by people who drink and drive. If you or someone you know has been hurt in a drunk-driving car accident, you want a lawyer who understands your needs. When you hire us, experience goes to work as we fight for the money you deserve. Contact us today for a free legal evaluation.
Depending on the circumstances of the DUI, an offender may be permitted to have limited driving privileges after serving a certain portion of the driver’s license suspension period for limited purposes, such as getting to and from work, school, a medical appointment, or court-ordered treatment. In most cases, the grant of limited driving privileges requires the offender to use an ignition interlock device.
In addition to other penalties associated with Ohio’s DUI laws, a commercial driver who is convicted of DWI while operating any vehicle will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for one year. If, however, the offender was driving a commercial vehicle and transporting hazardous materials at the time, the disqualification period is three years. If a commercial driver is convicted of a second DUI while operating any vehicle, the offender will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for life, which may or may not be reduced to a period of at least 10 years.
An underage driver who commits a first DUI while driving with a blood alcohol concentration of at least .02 but less than .08 is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. A misdemeanor of the fourth degree is punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $250. The driver’s license suspension period is three months to two years.
An underage driver who commits a second DUI while driving with a blood alcohol concentration of at least .02 but less than .08 within one year of the first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree. A misdemeanor of the third degree is punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. The driver’s license suspension period is one to five years.
Under Ohio’s Dram Shop Act, a person who is injured as a result of the actions of an intoxicated person has a cause of action against the liquor permit holder or the employee of the permit holder who sold alcohol to the intoxicated person if the injury occurred on the permit holder’s property or in a parking lot under the permit holder’s control and if the injury was proximately caused by the negligence of the permit holder or the negligence of its employee. A person has a cause of action against the permit holder or its employee for personal injury caused by the negligent acts of an intoxicated person occurring off the premises or away from a parking lot under the permit holder’s control if the permit holder or its employee knowingly sold alcohol to a noticeably intoxicated person or to a person under 21 and the person’s intoxication proximately caused the injury.
In Ohio, it is a crime to sell or provide alcohol to a person under 21. This crime is punishable by up to six months in prison, a fine of $500 to $1,000, or both.
In Ohio, it is a minor offense for a licensed drinking establishment to sell alcohol to an intoxicated person. A violation of this law subjects the offender to a fine of $25 to $100.
