The Ohio Supreme Court's Board of Professional Conduct was urged on Jan. 10 to publicly reprimand a Lucas County judge who was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol in July. The recommendation was made by the judge and the court's disciplinary counsel. An Ohio Supreme Court justice who found herself in a similar position was reprimanded in 2005. A public reprimand would become part of the judge's permanent record, but it would not prevent the judge from serving on the bench or seeking reelection.
Ohio truck driver ordered off the road after DUI crash
A 33-year-old Ohio truck driver has been ordered off the road by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The FMCSA issued the man with an out of service order on Oct. 28 because he has been charged with several drug violations and involved in numerous alcohol or drug-related accidents. The most serious accident took place on Sept. 28 when the man's semi-tractor trailer crossed the center line on State Road 534 and struck a cargo van head-on. The van's driver and passenger both died in the crash.
Ohio woman allegedly had a BAC of .32% when she crashed
Police in Ohio say that a 54-year-old woman had a blood alcohol concentration of .32% when she was involved in a minor traffic accident on Aug. 26. That is four times the state's .08% legal driving limit. The accident took place near the intersection of Columbia Road and Center Ridge Road in Westlake. The woman was taken into custody at the scene and has been charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Why checkpoint announcements have to be made public
Authorities in Ohio and throughout the country are allowed to conduct sobriety checkpoints. However, the Supreme Court ruled in 1990 that the checkpoints must be publicized ahead of time, and failing to do so would be a violation of a person's Fourth Amendment rights. Authorities also say that the point of checkpoints is to educate drivers about the dangers of impaired driving. In 2018, there were 13,364 crashes in Ohio that were caused by drunk or impaired drivers.
State representative pleads to drunk driving charge
An Ohio state representative pleaded guilty to a charge of having physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence. He was pulled over early in the morning on March 29, 2019 by a trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The trooper said field sobriety tests indicated that the representative was impaired. The man was placed under arrest and charged with operating a vehicle under the influence.
NFL star facing drunk driving charges after playoff game
NFL fans in Ohio and around the country who watched the recent NFC Championship Game may have seen cornerback P.J. Williams record seven tackles and break up one pass as his New Orleans Saints were narrowly beaten by the Los Angeles Rams. Williams is scheduled to become a free agent if he does not sign a new deal in New Orleans, but his prospects of a lucrative contract were dealt a blow in the early morning hours of Jan. 23 when he was taken into custody on drunk driving charges.
Actor Vince Vaughn charged with drunk driving offense
Ohio movie fans may be interested in learning that actor Vince Vaughn was officially charged with DUI on September 7. The 48-year-old actor faced charges after an alleged drunk driving incident that occurred on June 10.
TV personality goes to rehab after DUI crash
Ohio residents may recognize Steve Wilkos from his time on "The Jerry Springer Show". In January, he crashed his car while driving under the influence of alcohol. He initially claimed that he was looking for his glasses at the time of the accident. However, an investigation determined that alcohol caused the crash that left Wilkos injured.
