On July 4, 2013, Anna Louise Rooney was riding a bicycle to her Chillicothe, Ohio home when she was struck and killed by a drunk driver. The woman who killed her had a blood alcohol content of over two times the legal limit when she struck Annie. She also had at least three prior OVI charges on her record.
After her death, Annie’s parents – with the assistance of several state legislators – began a fight to toughen Ohio’s OVI laws. The result: “Annie’s Law,” signed into law by the governor on January 5, 2017 and effective as of April 6, 2017.
Annie’s Law changed the way Ohio handles OVI convictions in multiple ways. Prior to Annie’s Law, an individual with an OVI conviction (or equivalent offense) within the previous six years faced harsher consequences if convicted of a “second OVI in six.” Annie’s Law changed this “look-back period” to ten years – now, if you are charged with OVI and have a prior equivalent conviction within the previous ten years, you face a mandatory jail sentence and your options to obtain limited driving privileges are severely hindered.
This increase in the look-back period means more individuals convicted of OVI offenses will face more severe consequences, and more individuals will face felony OVI charges – as the severity increases, so does the penalty. Having an attorney who understands the law is crucial.
The Milano law firm is considered among the best in Cleveland, Ohio and surrounding counties. We understand the importance of your personal and professional reputation, and we know how an OVI can affect it. Contact us – we will fight for you, defend you, and work through the problem together.