Felony OVI Lawyer in Willard, OH

Experienced Legal Help for Felony Drunk or Drugged Driving Charges

A felony OVI in Ohio brings the most serious OVI penalties on the books. If you have multiple prior OVI convictions or a prior felony OVI, you are looking at mandatory incarceration, years-long or lifetime license consequences, vehicle forfeiture, and thousands in fines. At Patrick M. Farrell Co. L.P.A., we understand what is at stake and fight to limit the impact of these charges. Attorney Patrick M. Farrell has more than 30 years of courtroom experience and has successfully defended clients facing enhanced and felony OVI charges. We represent drivers in Norwalk Municipal Court, the Huron County Court of Common Pleas, and courts throughout Huron County, giving us the local knowledge to anticipate how prosecutors and judges approach serious OVI cases.

Felony OVI Laws in Ohio

Under Ohio Revised Code § 4511.19, operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both is a criminal offense. Repeat convictions cause penalties to escalate sharply.

An OVI can become a felony if, for example:

• It is a fourth offense within ten years or a sixth offense within twenty years. This is commonly charged as a fourth-degree felony.
• You have a prior felony OVI. A new OVI can be charged as a third-degree felony with higher mandatory time.

Felony OVI sentencing can include:

• Mandatory local incarceration or prison terms
• Substantial fines
• A Class Two judicial license suspension ranging from three years to life
• Restricted license plates
• Ignition interlock in alcohol cases
• Vehicle forfeiture if the vehicle is registered to the offender

In certain felony OVI cases, Ohio law also allows additional mandatory consecutive prison time when the charging document specifies five or more prior OVIs within twenty years or a prior felony OVI.

How Felony OVI Cases Are Handled in Willard Courts

Felony OVI charges in Willard, Ohio, are among the most serious drunk or drugged driving offenses. While misdemeanor OVI cases often begin in the Norwalk Municipal Court, cases involving multiple prior convictions, a prior felony OVI, or accidents causing serious injury or death are prosecuted as felonies in the Huron County Court of Common Pleas in Norwalk.

Attorney Patrick M. Farrell has decades of experience defending Willard residents against felony OVI charges in both courts. His familiarity with the local prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement agencies in Huron County provides a valuable advantage when developing defense strategies tailored to the realities of felony OVI prosecution.

How Felony OVI Cases Are Prosecuted in Willard

Felony OVI cases are typically filed or elevated to the Huron County Court of Common Pleas.

Prosecutors often rely on:

• Breath, blood, or urine test results and the testing records
• Field sobriety tests and officer testimony supported by dashcam or body-worn camera video
• Witness statements and 911 recordings
• Certified records of prior OVI convictions used to enhance sentencing

Because prior convictions increase mandatory penalties, repeat and felony OVI prosecutions are aggressive. Without skilled representation, you risk severe and lasting consequences.

How We Defend Against a Felony OVI Charge

Our Willard OVI defense attorneys build a strategy that matches the facts, the testing method used, and your prior record.

Possible approaches include:

• Challenging the stop, detention, or arrest if reasonable suspicion or probable cause was lacking
• Attacking chemical test results due to instrument maintenance, calibration, chain of custody, or timing issues
• Questioning field sobriety testing due to procedure errors or medical conditions
• Litigating prior conviction use when records are incomplete, inaccurate, or procedurally defective for enhancement
• Negotiating outcomes that protect driving privileges where possible, including limited privileges, treatment-based alternatives, and tailored sentencing plans

Penalties for Felony OVI in Ohio

Felony OVI penalties vary with your history and the level charged, but typical statutory ranges include:

Fourth-Degree Felony OVI

• At least 60 days of local incarceration or at least 60 days in prison, with the court authorized to impose an additional 6 to 30 months in prison
• Fines generally $1,350 to $10,500
• License suspension of 3 years to life
• Vehicle forfeiture if registered to the offender, and restricted license plates or ignition interlock in alcohol cases

Third-Degree Felony OVI (often when there is a prior felony OVI)

• Third-Degree Felony OVI (often with a prior felony OVI): mandatory 60 or 120 days in prison, plus a definite prison term of 6 to 30 months; if a repeat-offender specification is charged, add an additional mandatory 1 to 5 years consecutive

Specification-Based Additional Time

• When the state alleges five or more priors in twenty years or a prior felony OVI, courts may impose additional mandatory consecutive prison terms on top of the base felony sentence.

Collateral consequences can include skyrocketing insurance rates, CDL disqualification, employment loss in driving-sensitive roles, immigration complications for non-citizens, and mandatory alcohol or drug treatment.

Early Action Can Change the Outcome

Felony OVI cases move fast. The state will immediately secure test records, certified priors, and police video. The sooner you act, the more options you have. Hiring an experienced defense attorney gives you the best chance to suppress flawed evidence, negotiate targeted outcomes, protect your driving privileges, and reduce or avoid incarceration. Attorney Patrick M. Farrell’s decades of experience in Willard and Huron County courts mean he can anticipate the prosecution’s approach and craft a defense that fits your case.

Protect Your Future After a Felony OVI Arrest in Willard

The outcome of your case depends on the action you take right now. Prosecutors are already working to build a case against you using test results, prior convictions, and police reports. At Patrick M. Farrell Co. L.P.A., our felony OVI defense lawyers serving Willard and Huron County know how to challenge the evidence, expose weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, and fight for reduced charges, alternative penalties, or dismissal when possible. Do not wait until it is too late. The sooner you act, the stronger your defense. Take control of your defense and contact us today for a free, confidential case evaluation.

​​Call or Text: 216-661-5050 • Contact: Send Us a Message • Email: cindy@patfarrelllaw.com

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