Dayton OVI/DUI Defense Lawyer

Since you’re here, you’ve probably been charged with an OVI/DUI and are considering contacting a Dayton DUI attorney in Ohio.

You’re in the right place.

If you’re ready to start your defense, contact us today.

Do you want to know a little bit more about OVI/DUI laws in Ohio first?

Watch our video on OVI penalties in Ohio or select a topic that interests you below.

What is the OVI/DUI Process in Ohio?

After an OVI or DUI arrest, the officer may question you about the incident.

You have a right to remain silent and should speak with a Dayton DUI attorney before talking to the police. A lawyer speaks on your behalf to protect your rights.

You will be asked to submit to one or more chemical tests.

Your license will be suspended if you refuse to take a blood, urine, or breath test, and if you test over the legal blood alcohol content limit.

If you are a commercial driver or have received a DUI conviction in the last 20 years, you must submit to the tests.

What is the Legal Limit in Ohio?

The police assess sobriety through your BAC (blood alcohol content level).

Legally, you can get a DUI/OVI if:

• You are under 21 and your BAC is .02%,
• You are 21 or older and your BAC is .08%, or
• You are a commercial driver and your BAC is over .04%.

Does My License Get Suspended After a DUI?

Your driver’s license will be automatically suspended after an arrest.

You only have five days to fight this suspension. If you do not, you could lose your driving privileges for at least 90 days. For example, if your charges included severe bodily injury to another or you had previous convictions on your record, the suspension could increase.

Schedule an administrative hearing with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. If you fail to do so within five days of your arrest, the license suspension will be automatic.

BMV hearings can be intimidating and frustrating. A Dayton DUI attorney can help you with the proceedings and fight your charges.

What are the Penalties of an OVI?

The penalties of an OVI depend on the severity of the crime. Watch our video below for a quick summary of possible penalties.

What Happens if I’m Charged With a Felony DUI?

A DUI  becomes a felony when an offender is arrested for the fourth time in six years or for the sixth time in 20 years. There is a mandatory jail sentence of 60 days, and some offenders will face prison time.

Having a felony on your record is a severe penalty and it will affect many aspects of your life.

For example, a felony DUI could affect:

• Your voting rights,
• Employment opportunities,
• Your current job (you could lose it), and
• Restricted travel.

An OVI lawyer can fight felony and prior DUI charges. A felony DUI is severe, and we recommend seeking legal representation immediately.

What Should I Do If I’m Pulled Over for an OVI?

If you’re being tailed by an officer for an OVI, here’s what to do.

1. Pull over. Be calm and use your signal. At this point, anything you do can be used against you in a court of law.
2. Provide your license and registration.
3. Be polite. Do not give the officer any reason to believe that you are drunk or combative.
4. Don’t make any statements or admit to drinking.
5. Decide whether to take the breathalyzer test. The test can be used against you, but there are penalties for not submitting to a breathalyzer test. If you had bad results, you can fight the charges with an OVI lawyer.

Can I Refuse the Breathalyzer Test?

Breathalyzer and blood tests determine if a driver has an illegal amount of alcohol in their blood. If the tests determine that the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) equals or exceeds 0.08%, they can be arrested for drunk driving.

Refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test can have long-lasting penalties.

Refusal can result in the suspension of a driver’s license for up to one year through an Administrative License Suspension (ALS). There is a small window of opportunity where you can appeal a license suspension.

If you do not act quickly, you will be unable to fight to keep your license, regardless of whether you are convicted of OVI or DUI.

Like other OVI charges, you can also fight a breathalyzer test refusal in court with the help of an OVI attorney.

What Happens if I Fail the Breathalyzer Test?

Law enforcement severely punishes those who fail the breathalyzer test.

Penalties can result in the following:

• Loss of driving privileges,
• Jail time,
• Heavy fines, and
• Community service.

The stigma from a DUI conviction can:

• Affect your reputation,
• Strain your relationships, and
• Present employment challenges for many years.

If the police suspect that you are driving while intoxicated, they will give a breathalyzer test. You are legally required to take the test; failing to comply can result in severe penalties.

You can fight your breathalyzer test results with a Dayton DUI attorney.

Many things can affect your results, such as:

• Swishing an alcoholic beverage in your mouth
• Acid reflux,
• Sneezing,
• Coughing,
• Recently eating,
• Chewing tobacco,
• Using mouthwash,
• Burping, and
• Vomiting.

Ohio law requires police officers to observe an arrestee for 20 minutes before giving a breath test to ensure that other factors don’t throw off test readings.

These tests take place at the police station, so a defendant has likely been in a squad car for a long time. Because of this, it is often impossible that an officer provides enough observation.

Schedule a free consultation with our Ohio DUI lawyers right away. We’ll start fighting your test results.

We have helped hundreds of people in Dayton fight OVI charges.

Can I Be Charged with a DUI if I Was Doing Drugs?

Even if you are not legally drunk, you can be arrested and charged with a DUI in the state of Ohio.

When an officer suspects that you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he will note aspects of your behavior and appearance, such as:

• Slurred speech,
• Bloodshot eyes,
• Hazardous driving, and
• Incoordination during field sobriety tests.

A drunk driving charge can result from substances such as solvents, mouthwash, over-the-counter drugs, and other products. These can give an impression of drunken appearance or behavior.

You can fight these charges.

Contact one of our DUI attorneys in Ohio to start building your defense.

What Happens if I Was Charged with a DUI from a Blood Test?

Many DUI charges result from a blood alcohol content test. This test analyzes the percentage of alcohol in the person’s bloodstream (their BAC level).

If the police ask you to submit to a blood test, you do not have to comply. However, under implied consent law, you could be penalized for your refusal.

Although blood alcohol tests are usually accurate, errors can occur.

An experienced Dayton DUI attorney can examine your case and try to get your charges dropped.

What if I Was Charged with a DUI After a Field Sobriety Test?

Field Sobriety Tests (FST) are voluntary coordination tests given when an officer suspects driver impairment.

The only standardized tests that have some relevance in establishing legal intoxication are:

• One leg stands,
• Heel-to-toe tests, and
• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN).

In Ohio, the tests listed above are evidence if they were administered objectively and scored according to standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

How Accurate are Field Sobriety Tests?

The accuracy of field sobriety tests is an ongoing debate.

Under laboratory conditions, the three standard tests were only able to predict blood alcohol content above 0.10% in ⅔ to ¾ of the cases tested.

Another test challenged police officers’ ability to judge impairment accurately. Sober “suspects” were given a battery of FSTs, and trained officers deemed 46% of them as intoxicated.

Dayton DUI/OVI lawyers can challenge field sobriety test results that are inaccurately done by officers.

Save Your Driver’s License & Fight for Your Future!

You have a narrow window of time to save your license. Act now, and we may be able to help you fight to keep your driving privileges. As for handling your DUI or OVI charges in court, no case is too complex for our skilled defenders. From start to finish, our experienced and awarded Dayton DUI attorneys can help you preserve your liberties.