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The prima facie speed limitations set forth in Ohio R.C. 4511.21 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance do not apply to emergency vehicles or public safety vehicles when they are responding to emergency calls and are equipped with and displaying at least one flashing, rotating, or oscillating light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front of the vehicle, and when the drivers thereof sound audible signals by bell, siren, or exhaust whistle. This section does not relieve the driver of an emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the street or highway.
(ORC 4511.24)
(a) As used in this section, "street racing" means defined as the operation of two or more vehicles from a point side by side at accelerating speeds in a competitive attempt to outdistance each other, or the operation of one or more vehicles over a common selected course, from the same point to the same point, wherein timing is made of the participating vehicles involving competitive accelerations or speeds. Persons rendering assistance in any manner to such competitive use of vehicles shall be equally charged as the participants. The operation of two or more vehicles side by side either at speeds in excess of prima facie lawful speeds established by Ohio R.C. 4511.21(B)(1)(a) through (B)(8) or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, or rapidly accelerating from a common starting point to a speed in excess of such prima facie lawful speeds shall be prima facie evidence of street racing.
(b) No person shall participate in street racing upon any public road, street, or highway in this Municipality.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of street racing, a misdemeanor of the first degree. In addition to any other sanctions, the court shall suspend the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privileges for not less than 30 days or more than three years. No judge shall suspend the first 30 days of any suspension of an offender's license, permit, or privilege imposed under this division.
(ORC 4511.251)
(a) No person, while operating or participating in the operation of a motor vehicle, motorcycle, snowmobile, locomotive, watercraft, or aircraft, shall cause the death of another or the unlawful termination of another’s pregnancy in any of the following ways:
(1) A. As the proximate result of committing a violation of Ohio R.C. 4511.19(A) or of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance;
B. As the proximate result of committing a violation of Ohio R.C. 1547.11(A) or of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance;
C. As the proximate result of committing a violation of Ohio R.C. 4561.15(A)(3) or of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.
(2) In one of the following ways:
A. Recklessly;
B. As the proximate result of committing, while operating or participating in the operation of a motor vehicle or motorcycle in a construction zone, a reckless operation offense, provided that this division applies only if the person whose death is caused or whose pregnancy is unlawfully terminated is in the construction zone at the time of the offender’s commission of the reckless operation offense in the construction zone and does not apply as described in division (d) of this section.
(3) In one of the following ways:
A. Negligently;
B. As the proximate result of committing, while operating or participating in the operation of a motor vehicle or motorcycle in a construction zone, a speeding offense, provided that this division applies only if the person whose death is caused or whose pregnancy is unlawfully terminated is in the construction zone at the time of the offender’s commission of the speeding offense in the construction zone and does not apply as described in division (d) of this section.
(4) As the proximate result of committing a violation of any provision of any section contained in Ohio R.C. Title 45 that is a minor misdemeanor or of a municipal ordinance that, regardless of the penalty set by ordinance for the violation, is substantially equivalent to any provision of any section contained in Ohio R.C. Title 45 that is a minor misdemeanor.
(b) (1) Whoever violates division (a)(1) or (2) of this section is guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide, a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(2) A. Whoever violates division (a)(3) of this section is guilty of vehicular homicide. Except as otherwise provided in this division, vehicular homicide is a misdemeanor of the first degree. Vehicular homicide committed in violation of division (a)(3) of this section is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law if, at the time of the offense, the offender was driving under a suspension or revocation imposed under R.C. Chapter 4507, or any other provision of the Ohio Revised Code or if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of this section or any traffic-related homicide, manslaughter or assault offense.
B. In addition to any other sanctions imposed pursuant to this division, the court shall impose upon the offender a class four suspension of the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in Ohio R.C. 4510.02(A)(4) or, if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of this section or any traffic-related homicide, manslaughter, or assault offense, a class three suspension of the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in Ohio R.C. 4510.02(A)(3).
(3) A. Whoever violates division (a)(4) of this section is guilty of vehicular manslaughter. Except as otherwise provided in this division, vehicular manslaughter is a misdemeanor of the second degree. Vehicular manslaughter is a misdemeanor of the first degree if, at the time of the offense, the offender was driving under a suspension imposed under R.C. Chapter 4510 or any other provision of the Revised Code or if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of this section or any traffic-related homicide, manslaughter or assault offense.
B. In addition to any other sanctions imposed pursuant to this division, the court shall impose upon the offender a class six suspension of the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in Ohio R.C. 4510.02(A)(6) or, if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of this section or any traffic-related homicide, manslaughter, or assault offense, a class four suspension of the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in Ohio R.C. 4510.02(A)(4).
(c) The court shall impose a mandatory prison term on an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony violation of this section, as provided in Ohio R.C.2903.06(E). The court shall impose a mandatory jail term of at least 15 days on an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a misdemeanor violation of division (a)(3)B. of this section and may impose upon the offender a longer jail term as authorized pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2929.24.
(d) Divisions (a)(2)B. and (a)(3)B. of this section do not apply in a particular construction zone unless signs of the type described in Ohio R.C. 2903.081 are erected in that construction zone in accordance with the guidelines and design specifications established by the Director of Transportation under Ohio R.C. 5501.27. The failure to erect signs of the type described in Ohio R.C. 2903.081 in a particular construction zone in accordance with those guidelines and design specifications does not limit or affect the application of division (a)(1), (a)(2)A., (a)(3)A., or (a)(4) of this section in that construction zone or the prosecution of any person who violates any of those divisions in that construction zone.
(e) (1) As used in this section:
A. "Construction zone" has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 5501.27.
B. "Mandatory prison term" and "mandatory jail term" have the same meanings as in Ohio R.C. 2929.01.
C. “Reckless operation offense” means a violation of Ohio R.C. 4511.20 or a municipal ordinance substantially equivalent to Ohio R.C. 4511.20.
D. “Speeding offense” means a violation of Ohio R.C. 4511.21 or a municipal ordinance pertaining to speed.
E. “Traffic-related homicide, manslaughter, or assault offense” means a violation of Ohio R.C. 2903.04 in circumstances in which division (D) of that section applies, a violation of Ohio R.C. 2903.06 or 2903.08, or a violation of Ohio R.C. 2903.06, 2903.07, or 2903.08 as they existed prior to March 23, 2000.
(2) For the purposes of this section, when a penalty or suspension is enhanced because of a prior or current violation of a specified law or a prior or current specified offense, the reference to the violation of the specified law or the specified offense includes any violation of any substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, former law of this State, or current or former law of this or another state or the United States.
(ORC 2903.06)
Statutory reference:
Aggravated vehicular assault, felony, see Ohio R.C. 2903.08
Trial court to suspend driver's license, see Ohio R.C. 4510.05