If you drive north out of Cincinnati for a couple of hours, you will arrive at the modest town of Bellefontaine. The Logan County burg has local news served up daily by the Examiner. The newspaper provides a look at life in a small town that includes small stories about area residents who are arrested on misdemeanor and felony charges.
Two men there were recently arrested in separate incidents. Both face the same serious charge, however: operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Just past midnight, a 24-year-old was observed by police apparently driving to a gas station without his vehicle’s headlights on. After he was pulled over, officers said they detected the odor of alcohol while talking to him.
The Examiner reported that field tests indicated that he was under the influence; a breathalyzer test indicated that his blood-alcohol level was at 0.12 percent. In Ohio, you can be arrested for OVI if your BAC is at 0.08 percent and above.
A 23-year-old man is also facing an OVI charge there after officers apparently found him asleep at the wheel of his vehicle in the drive-through lane at a fast food restaurant. He reportedly failed a sobriety test. Officers said that a breathalyzer test showed that the man’s BAC was at 0.22 percent.
Both men face the possibility that if they are convicted on an OVI charge, they could be sentenced to a minimum of three days in jail. Ohio law has a provision that would allow them to avoid jail if they agree to installation of an ignition interlock device in their vehicles.
They also face the possibilities of stiff fines, license suspensions and more.
If you face similarly harsh punishments after a drunk driving arrest, you can speak with an attorney experienced in OVI defense.
