To amend section 2921.331 of the Revised Code to increase the penalty for "failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer" regarding the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Sec. 2921.331. (A) No person shall fail to comply with any lawful order or direction of any police officer invested with authority to direct, control, or regulate traffic.

(B) No person shall operate a motor vehicle so as willfully to elude or flee a police officer after receiving a visible or audible signal from a police officer to bring his THE PERSON'S motor vehicle to a stop.

(C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer. A

(2) A violation of division (A) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. A

(3) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN DIVISIONS (C)(4) AND (5) OF THIS SECTION, A violation of division (B) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree, except that a.

(4) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN DIVISION (C)(5) OF THIS SECTION, A violation of division (B) of this section is a felony of the fourth degree if the jury or judge as trier of fact finds any one of the following by proof beyond a reasonable doubt:

(1)(a) In committing the offense, the offender was fleeing immediately after the commission of a felony;

(2).

(b) The operation of the motor vehicle by the offender was a proximate cause of serious physical harm to persons or property;

(3).

(c) The operation of the motor vehicle by the offender caused a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property.

(5) A VIOLATION OF DIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION IS A FELONY OF THE SECOND DEGREE IF THE JURY OR JUDGE AS TRIER OF FACT FINDS BY PROOF BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT THAT IN OPERATING THE MOTOR VEHICLE THE OFFENDER EITHER CREATED A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY OR CAUSED SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY BY DOING BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING:

(a) OPERATING THE MOTOR VEHICLE FOR A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF TIME AT A RATE OF SPEED AT LEAST THIRTY-FIVE MILES PER HOUR IN EXCESS OF THE APPLICABLE SPEED LIMIT AND IN AN AREA WITH HEAVY VEHICULAR OR PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC;

(b) ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

(i) FAILING TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS;

(ii) OPERATING THE MOTOR VEHICLE WITHOUT LIGHTED LIGHTS DURING A TIME IN WHICH LIGHTED LIGHTS ARE REQUIRED.

(D) As used in this section, "police officer" has the same meaning as in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code.