An Ohio man has been sentenced to prison after being convicted of drunk driving for the sixth time. It is the third time he has been convicted in the past eight years.
On Nov. 16, the defendant, a 46-year-old Ravenna resident, pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony charge of operating a vehicle under the influence. The charge stemmed from a drunk driving arrest on Sept. 17. After entering his plea, he was immediately sentenced to one year in prison. As part of his sentence, he will also be required to attend two substance abuse recovery meetings each week and pay fines totaling $1,753. He received credit for 56 days served while waiting for his court date.
Since 1998, the defendant has been convicted of drunk driving six times. Two of the prior convictions were felonies, while three were misdemeanors. The convictions occurred in 2016, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 1998. Following a felony conviction in Summit County in November 2016, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He was released after serving three months.
Individuals convicted of OVI can receive harsh sentences, including lengthy jail terms and steep fines. This is especially true of defendants who have prior drunk driving convictions on their record. In order to increase the chances of a favorable outcome, many defendants choose to retain a criminal defense attorney to represent them in court. An attorney could make sure the client’s rights are protected throughout the legal process. Counsel could also work to mount a strong defense against the OVI charges, which could get the case dismissed from court. In some situations, an attorney may recommend negotiating a plea deal that reduces the penalties in exchange for a guilty plea to a lesser offense.
Source: Record-Courier, “Ravennan headed to prison after 6th OVI conviction“, Dave O’Brien, Nov. 22, 2017
