Facing a second offense OWI charge in Indiana is very serious, and unfortunately the penalties for drunk driving in Indiana get tougher all the time.
Just because you are facing a second offense doesn’t mean you are guilty. Indiana OWI laws are such that you are set up to fail. Anyone who legally has a drink or two and gets behind the wheel is at risk of arrest, due to over-aggressive enforcement, and a mentality of “arrest anyone with even the slightest suggestion of possible impairment.
And unfortunately, there is a strong tendency to punished the accused, with long license suspensions before you can even defend yourself in court. The system is simply not fair, and does not take the principal of “innocent until proven guilty” seriously.
But we do. Our attorneys are prepared to fight on your behalf, and make sure you are treated fairly under the law. We will make sure that you were stopped for a legitimate and legal reason. And we will challenge the so-called evidence against you, based on unscientific tests and anecdotal observation.
OWI/drunk driving cases can be beaten in Indiana, although it often takes an experienced attorney to do it.
However, if you feel that you are guilty, then we respect that. We all make mistakes and sometimes it takes us a few times before we learn from them. We know you are probably very remorseful for getting behind the wheel after having too much to drink. You probably didn’t realize that you were legally intoxicated.
Whatever happened to you, whether you want to fight the case or are prepared to plead guilty (or haven’t dediced yet), we can help. When you are facing serious charges such as these you need an experienced legal defense attorney that truly cares about you and your outcome in court.
It is our job to fight ensure your rights are being protected at every stage of the criminal justice process. We will fight tirelessly and work towards getting you the most positive results in court.
Contact us for a free consultation to find out exactly what we can do you help you work out this difficult legal problem.
Indiana Second Offense OWI Charge – Laws & Penalties
A second OWI will carry stiffer penalties than they did the first time around. (See my 1st offense OWI laws page). If this is a second OWI in less than 5 years, you will face felony charges rather than misdemeanor charges.
A second OWI within 5 years will get you a Class D felony charge.
Class D felonies carry a potential sentence of 6 months to 3 years in prison and fines reaching $10,000.
Driver’s License Suspension
For a 2nd OWI conviction your license can be suspended for 180 days to 2 years if the first conviction was more than 5 years ago.
However, if this is your second conviction within 5 years your license will be suspended for no less than 1 year.
Ignition Interlock Device
After a second offense conviction (or greater), you are required to have an ignition interlock device installed in any vehicle you drive. This is typically required for 6 months of more during your probationary period, as a condition of license reinstatement.
Community Service Requirements
Similar with all of the other sanctions, your community service hours on increased with a second OWI conviction. If this is your second OWI conviction you will likely be sentenced to serve 360 hours of community service, as compared with 180 hours with the 1st conviction.
Like your first conviction, you will be required to undergo a drug/alcohol addiction evaluation and possibly be required to attend classes or counseling depending on the outcome.
Ref: IC 9-30-5
Need Help with a 2nd Offense Indiana OWI Charge? Free Defense Consultation
When you are facing a charge for a 2nd or subsequent OWI in the state of Indiana, you want a hard-nosed attorney fighting aggressively for your rights. We want you to have a the best possible outcome in court, just like you do and will work diligently to see that happen.
Find out how in a free consultation. There is no obligation for our advice!