Ohio DUI laws impose severe penalties for driving under the influence. If you are charged with OVI, you need a skilled, aggressive Dayton DUI wet reckless lawyer on your side.
The lawyers of Suhre & Associates, LLC have over 100 years of experience handling DUI cases in Dayton, OH. Our legal team is responsible for hundreds of not guilty and dismissed criminal cases each year. Having a former police officer and former prosecutor on your legal team means we understand how law enforcement officers and prosecutors handle DUI cases.
If you are facing DUI charges, contact our law office in Dayton, OH, at (937) 531-0435 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.
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How Our Dayton DUI Lawyers Can Help You Avoid a Conviction
Being arrested for drunk driving can be a frightening experience. However, having a trusted Dayton DUI lawyer give you legal advice and guide you through the criminal justice process can ease stress. It can also improve your chance of winning your DUI case.
When you hire Suhre & Associates, LLC, you can expect us to:
- Investigate the circumstances of the traffic stop and DUI arrest to identify violations of your civil rights and police misconduct
- Gather evidence to challenge BAC test results and other evidence
- Retain expert witnesses to challenge DUI breath tests and blood tests when necessary
- Thoroughly prepare for negotiations with prosecutors, hearings, and a trial
- Discuss your legal options and the pros and cons of accepting a DUI plea agreement versus going to trial
- Fight to reduce DUI penalties
- Aggressively argue for your innocence in court
Being arrested for OVI in Dayton is not a guilty verdict. You can and should fight DUI charges.
Contact us to schedule your free consultation with one of our experienced DUI lawyers in Dayton, Ohio.
Ohio Driving Under the Influence Law
Ohio Revised Statute §4511.19 makes it illegal to operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The statute sets the legal limit for blood alcohol content at .08% or higher. If your BAC is above the legal limit, the law presumes the alcohol in your system impairs your driving ability.
However, you can also be arrested if your BAC is below the legal limit or you refuse a chemical test for BAC levels. The statute also makes it illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol. Therefore, if the police officer believes you are impaired, he can arrest you for DUI without proof of your BAC level.
What Is a Wet Reckless Charge?
Ohio Revised Statute 4511.20 states that a person shall not operate a motor vehicle with “willful or wanton disregard” for another person’s safety. This statute is the reckless driving statute in Ohio. However, there is no specific statute or law for a wet reckless offense. Therefore, the only way you can reduce DUI charges to wet reckless is through negotiations with the prosecutor.
What Are the Benefits of Pleading Guilty to Wet Reckless Charges in Dayton?
If you can avoid a DUI conviction by pleading down to a wet reckless charge, it could be your best option. Our DUI defense lawyers review all options and discuss the risks of going to trial, given the facts of your case.
The benefits of a wet reckless plea agreement include:
- You might not serve any jail time for a wet reckless conviction
- Judges are not required to suspend driving privileges for wet reckless
- You will not have a DUI conviction on your criminal record
- A wet reckless might not cause your insurance rates to increase as much as a DUI
- The fines for a wet reckless conviction are generally lower than an OVI conviction
The facts and circumstances of your case and your prior criminal history affect whether a prosecutor might agree to a wet reckless plea agreement. A skilled DUI lawyer can use the evidence in your case to make a compelling argument to the prosecutor to allow you to plead down to wet reckless.
What Are the Penalties for a Wet Reckless Conviction?
There are penalties for wet reckless convictions, but they are far less severe than punishments for drunk driving convictions. For example, if you have no prior traffic convictions, the charge is a minor misdemeanor with a $100 fine and no jail time.
The fine increases to $250 – and the judge could order you to serve up to 30 days in jail – if you have one prior traffic conviction. Two prior traffic convictions increase the wet reckless penalty to $500 in fines and up to 60 days in jail.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Dayton Wet Reckless Lawyers
If the police arrested you for driving under the influence, we can help. Call us to schedule a time for a free case evaluation with a Dayton wet reckless attorney. It costs you nothing to obtain legal advice from an experienced, highly-rated DUI attorney in Dayton.
