Smock & Etling

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A conviction for operating a vehicle while intoxicated is not a minor traffic offense. Operating While Intoxicated is a criminal conviction that will become part of your permanent criminal record. The offense generally is charged as a class A misdemeanor. A class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to 1 year in prison and a $5,000 fine. The court can impose a license suspension of up to two years. A class C misdemeanor is punishable by up to 60 days in jail, and a $500 fine. Furthermore, it if is your 2nd offense within 5 years, or if there is an accident involving serious bodily injury, Operating While Intoxicated will be charged as a class D felony which is punishable by 6 months to 3 years incarceration and a $10,000 fine. Additionally, if you accumulate 3 convictions within a 10 year period, you may lose your license for 10 years. In some cases a conviction for operating while intoxicated statutorily requires mandatory jail time. (This is not an all-inclusive list of the possible penalties). Accordingly, if you are arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, even if it is your first offense, it is very important that you contact an attorney immediately.