Are you facing an underage drunk driving charge in Cincinnati, OH? If so, you owe it to yourself to make it as tough as possible for the prosecuting attorney to convict you, send you to jail, and take away your license. You can begin your legal battle by reaching out to a seasoned Cincinnati DUI under 21 lawyer from Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers.
There’s absolutely no charge for your first case evaluation, so call us to set up a consultation today.
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How Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, Can Help When You’re Facing Underage Drunk Driving Charges in Cincinnati
Enlisting the services of a Cincinnati criminal defense attorney from Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, is an excellent way to safeguard your driver’s license and your prospects for the future when facing DUI charges in Ohio. Here are a few of the ways our law firm can help you with your case:
- Answer any questions you may have about the legal process
- Develop an effective defense strategy for your DUI case
- Protect your rights as a citizen or resident of the United States
- Provide you with a detailed overview of the Ohio justice system
- Look for evidence that might convince a jury to acquit you
- Handle the administrative side of your drunk driving case
- Offer you shrewd legal advice during every stage of your DUI case
- Launch an independent investigation into the state’s allegations
- Communicate with the state’s attorney on your behalf
- Work tirelessly to secure a reasonable bond on your behalf
- Speak with medical experts about the results of your BAC tests
- Negotiate a plea bargain deal with the state’s prosecutor
- Represent your best interests in court, if necessary
You do not need to sit back and wait for the prosecution to convict you of driving under the influence. When you hire a Cincinnati criminal defense lawyer from Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, you can fight back against the allegations of the state. Fill out our brief contact form today to begin your legal battle.
Understanding Ohio’s Underage Drunk Driving Laws
Section 4511.19 of the Ohio Revised Code explains that it is unlawful for an individual to “operate any vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley” when:
- Their blood alcohol concentration is higher than 0.08 percent
- Their breath alcohol concentration is higher than 0.08 percent, or
- Their urine alcohol concentration is higher than 0.11 percent
Cincinnatians who violate this state law may face charges of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Drivers who are under the age of 21 do not need to exceed these limits to get in trouble with the law, however. Law enforcement officers in Ohio can arrest these motorists for operating a vehicle after underage consumption (OVUAC) when:
- Their blood alcohol concentration is higher than 0.02 percent
- Their breath alcohol concentration is higher than 0.02 percent, or
- Their urine alcohol concentration is higher than 0.028 percent
These reduced limits exist because it is illegal for people who are younger than 21 years of age to drink alcohol in Ohio – and because having alcohol in their systems can severely impair their driving skills.
How Do Cincinnati Police Officers Measure a Motorist’s Drunkenness?
When law enforcement officers in Cincinnati pull over people they believe to be inebriated, they can use any of these tools to test their hypothesis:
- A Breath Test: A breathalyzer machine is typically the first tool officers use to determine a driver’s drunkenness. They can administer breath tests on the side of the road and receive near-instant results.
- A Blood Test: If the results of a driver’s breath test are inconclusive, the officer may ask them to take a blood test. They cannot administer this test on the road. Instead, they have to take the suspect to a lab, where a trained technician will draw a sample of their blood.
- A Urine Test: Police officers in Cincinnati can also measure a driver’s level of intoxication by asking them to take a urine test. However, officers prefer to avoid using this test because it is just about impossible to force suspects to urinate if they do not wish to do so.
Ohio law explains that police officers have to collect the chemical sample “within three hours of the time of the alleged violation.”
Can Underage Motorists in Cincinnati Refuse to Take a Chemical Test?
The state of Ohio has an implied consent law on its books. This existence of this regulation means that everyone who drives a vehicle on a street or highway in Cincinnati automatically grants the police permission to check their blood alcohol content.
When motorists refuse to take a chemical test, they may lose their driving privileges under the state’s administrative license suspension laws.
Ohioans have the right to appeal these types of suspensions. However, if they are unsuccessful, they can lose their license for up to a year.
The experienced lawyers at Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, are well versed in all of Ohio’s underage DUI laws. So, if a prosecutor recently charged you with drunk driving in Cincinnati, please reach out to us today. We might be able to help you get your case dismissed.
Consequences of Underage DUI Convictions in Ohio
The penalties Ohio courts hand out for underage DUI convictions depend on the number of times the driver has broken that law in the past.
For first-time offenders, underage drunk driving is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The punishments for offenses of this nature include:
- As long as 30 days in jail
- A fine of up to $250
- A driver’s license suspension of between 90 days and two years
- A requirement to maintain an SR-22 insurance bond
- Attendance at a court-ordered remedial driving class
- Enrollment in a court-ordered alcohol addiction course
The state of Ohio classifies underage DUI as a misdemeanor of the third degree for repeat offenders. The penalties for this crime include:
- As long as 60 days in jail
- A fine of up to $500
- A driver’s license suspension of between one and five years
- A requirement to maintain an SR-22 insurance bond
- Attendance at a court-ordered remedial driving class
- Enrollment in a court-ordered alcohol addiction course
If the offender is under the age of 18 and holds a probationary permit, the court may also compel them to retake their licensing exam as part of their punishment.
In addition to their court-ordered penalties, people who commit underage drunk driving in Cincinnati also receive permanent criminal records. Those records can cause them to experience collateral consequences like:
- Difficulty Finding Housing: Landlords in the City of Cincinnati tend to avoid renting houses and apartments to convicted criminals.
- Trouble Landing a Job: Businesses in the state of Ohio often have policies against hiring people with criminal records.
- Professional Licensing Problems: Convicted criminals can find it challenging to obtain or renew professional licenses.
- Child Custody Issues: Courts in Ohio often limit the child custody rights of people with criminal records.
- Harsher Future Penalties: Should underage drunk drivers get into legal trouble in the future, they are likely to get severely punished.
Would you like to have a seasoned criminal defense attorney from Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, help you fight to avoid the negative consequences of an underage DUI? Then please reach out to us today to arrange a free initial consultation at our offices in Cincinnati. We have been practicing criminal law in Ohio for years, and we are ready to go to bat for you.
Defenses Against Ohio Under 21 Drunk Driving Charges
Cincinnati drivers can use a wide range of defense strategies to convince judges and juries to acquit them of their underage DUI charges, such as:
Unlawful Traffic Stop
In the state of Ohio, the police may only pull motorists over if they have a reasonable suspicion that they are committing a crime. If an attorney can show that the police did not have any justification for stopping their client, they can frequently get their case dismissed.
Medical Conditions
There are many medical conditions that mimic the effects of intoxication, such as:
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy, and
- Hypoglycemia
When lawyers can prove that their client did not consume any alcohol and only appeared to be drunk because of a medical condition, they can often convince the jury to find them not guilty.
Improper Test Administration
When conducting a blood-alcohol test, police officers and lab technicians must adhere to strict guidelines and procedures. If an attorney can prove that they failed to do so, they should be able to get the results of the test thrown out. As a result, they can make it much less likely that their clients will face any jail time.
The attorneys at Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, have been representing clients facing underage drunk driving charges for years – achieving a plethora of favorable verdicts along the way. If you would like to have us review your case and help you devise a suitable defense strategy, please contact our office in Cincinnati as soon as you can.
Your Knowledgeable Cincinnati DUI Lawyer
Are you searching for a skilled Cincinnati DUI under 21 lawyer to help you fight back against the allegations of the state of Ohio? If so, please reach out to Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, at your earliest convenience. We have the legal experience and statutory knowledge necessary to handle just about any drunk driving case – no matter how complex it may be.
