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S. B. No. 77 As IntroducedAs Introduced
130th General Assembly | Regular Session | 2013-2014 |
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Cosponsors:
Senators LaRose, Cafaro, Gardner, Lehner, Widener
A BILL
To amend section 4511.35 and to enact section 4510.19
of the Revised Code to increase the penalties
related to operating a motor vehicle on the wrong
side of an interstate freeway.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That section 4511.35 be amended and section
4510.19 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 4510.19. (A) No person whose driver's or commercial
driver's license or permit or nonresident operating privilege has
been suspended under division (D)(1) of section 4511.35 of the
Revised Code shall operate any motor vehicle upon the public roads
or highways within this state during the period of suspension.
(B) No person whose driver's or commercial driver's license
or permit or nonresident operating privilege has been suspended
under division (D)(2) of section 4511.35 of the Revised Code shall
operate any motor vehicle upon the public roads or highways within
this state during the period of suspension.
(C)(1) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is
guilty of driving under suspension imposed for driving the wrong
way on an interstate freeway, a misdemeanor. The court shall
sentence the offender to a jail term of one year and may impose a
fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
(2) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty
of driving under suspension imposed for driving the wrong way on
an interstate freeway and causing a person harm, a felony of the
third degree. The court shall sentence the offender to a definite
prison term of three years and may impose a fine of not more than
ten thousand dollars.
Sec. 4511.35. (A) Whenever any highway has been divided into
two roadways by an intervening space, or by a physical barrier, or
clearly indicated dividing section so constructed as to impede
vehicular traffic, every vehicle shall be driven only upon the
right-hand roadway, and no vehicle shall be driven over, across,
or within any such dividing space, barrier, or section, except
through an opening, crossover, or intersection established by
public authority. This section does not prohibit the occupancy of
such dividing space, barrier, or section for the purpose of an
emergency stop or in compliance with an order of a police officer.
(B) An offender is not permitted to enter a written plea of
guilty and waive the offender's right to contest the ticket,
citation, or summons in a trial but instead shall appear in person
in the proper court to answer the charge if a law enforcement
officer issues a ticket, citation, or summons to the offender for
a violation of division (A) of this section and the officer
indicates on the ticket, citation, or summons that in committing
the violation the offender operated a motor vehicle upon the
left-hand roadway of a divided highway that is part of the
interstate system under one of the following conditions:
(1) For a distance of five hundred feet or more;
(2) For any distance, while committing a violation of
division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or of a
substantially equivalent municipal ordinance;
(3) For any distance, if the offender was involved in a motor
vehicle collision on the left-hand roadway that caused either
physical harm to another person or the death of another person.
(C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this division (C)(2)
or (D) of this section, whoever violates division (A) of this
section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If, within one year of
the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or
pleaded guilty to one predicate motor vehicle or traffic offense,
whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the
fourth degree. If, within one year of the offense, the offender
previously has been convicted of two or more predicate motor
vehicle or traffic offenses, whoever violates this section is
guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(2) If the trier of fact finds that, in violating division
(A) of this section, the offender operated a motor vehicle for any
distance upon the left-hand roadway of a divided highway that is
part of the interstate system as a proximate result of committing
a violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code
or of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, whoever
violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fourth degree.
(D)(1) If the trier of fact finds that, in violating division
(A) of this section, the offender operated a motor vehicle for a
distance of five hundred feet or more upon the left-hand roadway
of a divided highway that is part of the interstate system, the
court, in addition to any other penalty that the court is required
or permitted by law to impose on the offender, shall impose a
class seven suspension upon the offender in accordance with
section 4510.02 of the Revised Code.
(2) If the trier of fact finds that, in violating division
(A) of this section, the offender operated a motor vehicle for any
distance upon the left-hand roadway of a divided highway that is
part of the interstate system and was involved in a motor vehicle
collision that occurred on that left-hand roadway and the
collision either caused physical harm to another person or caused
the death of another person, the court, in addition to any other
penalty that the court is required or permitted by law to impose
on the offender, shall impose a class three suspension upon the
offender in accordance with section 4510.02 of the Revised Code.
(E) As used in this section:
(1) "Interstate system" has the same meaning as in 23 U.S.C.
101.
(2) "Physical harm to another person" has the same meaning as
"physical harm to persons" in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code.
Section 2. That existing section 4511.35 of the Revised Code
is hereby repealed.
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