Section 2921.331 | Failure to comply with order or signal of police officer.
(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 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.
(2) A violation of division (A) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(3) Except as provided in divisions (C)(4) and (5) of this section, a violation of division (B) of this section is a felony of the fourth degree.
(4) A violation of division (B) of this section is a felony of the third degree if the jury or judge as trier of fact finds by proof beyond a reasonable doubt that, in committing the offense, the offender was fleeing immediately after the commission of a felony.
(5)(a) A violation of division (B) of this section is a felony of the third degree if the jury or judge as trier of fact finds any of the following by proof beyond a reasonable doubt:
(i) The operation of the motor vehicle by the offender was a proximate cause of serious physical harm to persons or property.
(ii) The operation of the motor vehicle by the offender caused a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property.
(b) If a police officer pursues an offender who is violating division (B) of this section and division (C)(5)(a) of this section applies, the sentencing court, in determining the seriousness of an offender's conduct for purposes of sentencing the offender for a violation of division (B) of this section, shall consider, along with the factors set forth in sections 2929.12 and 2929.13 of the Revised Code that are required to be considered, all of the following:
(i) The duration of the pursuit;
(ii) The distance of the pursuit;
(iii) The rate of speed at which the offender operated the motor vehicle during the pursuit;
(iv) Whether the offender failed to stop for traffic lights or stop signs during the pursuit;
(v) The number of traffic lights or stop signs for which the offender failed to stop during the pursuit;
(vi) Whether the offender operated the motor vehicle during the pursuit without lighted lights during a time when lighted lights are required;
(vii) Whether the offender committed a moving violation during the pursuit;
(viii) The number of moving violations the offender committed during the pursuit;
(ix) Any other relevant factors indicating that the offender's conduct is more serious than conduct normally constituting the offense.
(D) If an offender is sentenced to a prison term for a violation of division (B) of this section, the offender shall serve the prison term consecutively to any other prison term or mandatory prison term imposed upon the offender.
(E) In addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of division (B) of this section, the court shall impose a class two suspension from the range specified in division (A)(2) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code. In addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of division (A) of this section, the court shall impose a class five suspension from the range specified in division (A)(5) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code. If the offender previously has been found guilty of an offense under this section, in addition to any other sanction imposed for the offense, the court shall impose a class one suspension as described in division (A)(1) of that section. The court shall not grant limited driving privileges to the offender on a suspension imposed for a felony violation of this section. The court may grant limited driving privileges to the offender on a suspension imposed for a misdemeanor violation of this section as set forth in section 4510.021 of the Revised Code. No judge shall suspend the first three years of suspension under a class two suspension of an offender's license, permit, or privilege required by this division or any portion of the suspension under a class one suspension of an offender's license, permit, or privilege required by this division.
(F) As used in this section:
(1) "Moving violation" has the same meaning as in section 2743.70 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Police officer" has the same meaning as in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code.
Last updated August 22, 2024 at 10:37 AM
Available Versions of this Section
- September 28, 2012 – Senate Bill 337 - 129th General Assembly [ View September 28, 2012 Version ]
- October 24, 2024 – Amended by House Bill 56 - 135th General Assembly [ View October 24, 2024 Version ]