The penalties for operating a vehicle while under the influence (OVI) of drugs or alcohol are understandably more severe for repeat offenses. Regardless, you always have certain rights when you are stopped on suspicion of OVI, even if you have been previously convicted of identical charges.
Motorists who are facing repeat OVI charges should call me to be your Athens second offense OVI lawyer. As your experienced drunk driving defense attorney, I could help to reduce the consequences of a second OVI conviction. I am certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the administration of field sobriety tests, and I have helped hundreds of state residents to reduce the adverse impact of repeat charges.
Ohio increased the penalties for second OVI offenses to include a mandatory fine of at least $525 and a minimum of 10 days of incarceration. In more severe cases, the fine could be as high as $1,625, and you could face a six-month prison sentence.
Your license might also be suspended for between one and four years, and you may be required to install an ignition interlock or participate in a certified drug and alcohol treatment program before you get your license back. Although the state no longer issues new yellow OVI “party” license plates, if you already have those plates, you will have to keep them until your license suspension ends.
You may not be able to prevent the imposition of every one of these penalties, but as your attorney, I could help you negotiate a plea deal that avoids the more severe impacts of repeat OVI charges.
If you are facing a second OVI offense in Athens, I could provide legal representation, scrutinizing the facts and evidence of your situation to emphasize weaknesses in the case against you. In some cases, I could negotiate a plea deal to reduce the charges to reckless driving or misdemeanor physical control. Reckless driving carries reduced incarceration time that may be suspended or probated, as well as lower fines and fewer points against your driving record. Misdemeanor physical control suggests that even if you were in the vehicle while under the influence, you were not necessarily driving or operating it.
The ability to negotiate a plea deal for a second OVI offense depends on how much time has elapsed since your first OVI conviction and the strength of the evidence against you. As your attorney, I could review the arresting officer’s reason for stopping you, the officer’s training and his or her conduct during the stop, the duration of the stop, the validity of any warrant for tests of body fluids, and all processes and procedures conducted by the State. In that list of elements, there may be a point to exploit.
I have represented motorists charged with OVI offenses for more than 25 years. I understand that people make mistakes and have lapses in judgment as a result of peer pressure, reduced inhibition due to alcohol or drugs, underestimation of their impairment, or a failure to understand how intoxicating substances affect their metabolism and mental processes. Other clients may even be innocent of the charge altogether or had their Constitutional rights violated.
Having established a reputation as a successful Athens second offense OVI lawyer, I stand ready to negotiate a beneficial plea deal on your behalf. Call my office at your earliest opportunity after you have been charged and learn why so many have trusted me as their criminal defense lawyer.
Client was accused of being under the influence of narcotics. Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) was successfully challenged.
