Columbus OVI/DUI Attorney Blog

February 6, 2026

Underage DUI/OVI in Ohio

Juvenile-arrested-300x200 An 18-year-old Ohio man was charged with DUI (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio) and other offenses after hitting a school bus carrying students. According to WLWT5, the young man’s blood alcohol content was reported as .25. For individuals under age 21, there is a unique OVI-related offense in Ohio.

The Offense of OVUAC for People Under 21
For drivers of all ages, paragraph (A) of Ohio Revised Code section 4511.19 makes it illegal to operate a vehicle with a prohibited concentration of alcohol. The prohibited concentration is .08% for blood, .08 grams per 210 liters of breath, and .011 grams per 100 milliliters of urine. This is commonly referred to as the ‘legal limit’, and the offense is called Operating a Vehicle under the Influence (OVI). Continue Reading

January 24, 2026

Why is the BMV Form 2255 Important in Ohio DUI/OVI Cases?

by Abagale Bentley

If you are arrested for DUI (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio), you can lose your driver’s license immediately, before even going to court or seeing a judge. That loss of driving privileges, imposed by the BMV (not a court), is an Administrative License Suspension (ALS).

The ALS is triggered by a single document completed by the arresting officer: the BMV Form 2255. That form was revised in 2025. The revisions are important in the context of Ohio’s implied consent law and can affect the validity of an ALS.

January 9, 2026

Ohio Supreme Court: Inactive Drug Metabolites Can Support Conviction for Vehicular Assault

by Shawn Dominy

State-v-Balmer-300x300 A driver struck a trooper while the trooper was directing traffic, and the trooper suffered serious injuries. The driver submitted a urine sample, and a urine test showed a concentration of inactive marijuana metabolite above the ‘legal limit’. The driver was charged with and convicted of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and DUI (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio). The Ohio Supreme Court ultimately concluded operating a vehicle with a prohibited concentration of inactive marijuana metabolite can be a proximate cause of serious physical harm.

December 6, 2025

Refusing Field Sobriety Tests in Ohio

by Shawn Dominy

Refusing-FSTs-300x200 An Ohio man was involved in a single-car accident. Officers responded to the accident scene and suspected the man was under the influence. The officers requested that the man perform field sobriety tests, and the man refused. He was then charged with Operating a Vehicle under the Influence (OVI). What happens when an OVI suspect refuses to perform field sobriety tests in Ohio?

November 13, 2025

Withdrawing a Guilty Plea in Ohio Vehicular Homicide Cases

by Shawn Dominy

Withdraw-Guilty-Plea-from-ATM-300x200 An Ohio man pled guilty to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and other charges. A few days before the sentencing was to be held, the defendant hired a new lawyer and filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea. The judge held a hearing and denied the motion. The defendant pled guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison. The defendant recently appealed the judge’s decision to Ohio’s Third District Court of Appeals.

October 10, 2025

Ohio Senate Passes Bill to Revise Marijuana DUI/OVI Law

by Shawn Dominy

DUI-Law-Book-300x200 The Ohio Senate passed a bill which could significantly change Ohio’s law prohibiting marijuana DUI (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio). Senate Bill 55, passed on October 8, 2025, would amend and limit the types of marijuana OVI charges. It would also revise the rules regarding evidence admissibility in marijuana OVI trials.

September 17, 2025

What Constitutes a ‘Vehicle’ for DUI/OVI in Ohio?

by Shawn Dominy

Man-in-Pink-Toy-Jeep-200x300 A man driving a pink child’s jeep was arrested for driving under the influence (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio). The man was planning to walk to meet a friend for a Slurpee and decided to drive a toy Barbie Jeep instead. Could someone in Ohio be charged with OVI on a toy Jeep? What about other non-traditional ‘vehicles’?

August 8, 2025

ABCs of PBTs in OH DUI/OVI

by Abagale Bentley

Imagine you’re stopped by a police officer, and the officer suspects you’ve been drinking. They ask a few questions and mention they smell alcohol. The officer then reaches for a small handheld device and says, “I just need you to blow into this for me.” That device is a portable breath test, commonly called a PBT. What you decide to do can have an impact on your court case if you are charged with DUI (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio) or another alcohol-related offense.

July 18, 2025

Ohio DUI/OVI and Competency to Stand Trial

by Shawn Dominy

Psychiatrist-300x129 An Ohio appellate court affirmed a judge’s finding that a defendant charged with DUI (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio) was competent to stand trial. The requirement of competency to stand trial is a long-standing principle based on traditional philosophies of fairness in criminal proceedings. This article discusses the definition of incompetency, the rationale behind the principle, and the process followed when the issue is raised.

June 14, 2025

Suppression of Blood Tests in Ohio Vehicular Homicide/Vehicular Assault Cases

by Shawn Dominy

Blood-sample-300x202 The defendant in an Ohio Vehicular Homicide/Vehicular Assault case filed a motion to suppress the results of his blood test. Blood test results may be suppressed for various reasons. In this case, the defendant argues the blood test did not comply with the requirements of the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code.