Ohio Code 4511.714 – Operation of vehicle on roadway covered by water
(A) No person shall operate a vehicle on or onto a public street or highway that is temporarily covered by a rise in water level, including groundwater or an overflow of water, and that is clearly marked by a sign that specifies that the road is closed due to the rise in water level and that any person who uses the closed portion of the road may be fined up to two thousand dollars.
Attorney's Note
Under the Ohio Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Minor misdemeanor | up to $150 |
Terms Used In Ohio Code 4511.714
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way open to the use of the public as a thoroughfare for purposes of vehicular travel. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Operate: means to cause or have caused movement of a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Person: means every natural person, firm, co-partnership, association, or corporation. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Vehicle: means every device, including a motorized bicycle and an electric bicycle, in, upon, or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except that "vehicle" does not include any motorized wheelchair, any electric personal assistive mobility device, any low-speed micromobility device, any personal delivery device as defined in section 4511. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Whoever: includes all persons, natural and artificial; partners; principals, agents, and employees; and all officials, public or private. See Ohio Code 1.02
(B) A person who is issued a citation for a violation of division (A) of this section is not permitted to enter a written plea of guilty and waive the person’s right to contest the citation in court, but instead must appear in person in the proper court to answer the charge.
(C)(1) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(2) In addition to the financial sanctions authorized or required under section 2929.28 of the Revised Code and to any costs otherwise authorized or required under any provision of law, the court imposing the sentence upon an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section shall order the offender to reimburse one or more rescuers for the cost any such rescuer incurred in rescuing the person, excluding any cost of transporting the rescued person to a hospital or other facility for treatment of injuries, up to a cumulative maximum of two thousand dollars. If more than one rescuer was involved in the emergency response, the court shall allocate the reimbursement proportionately, according to the cost each rescuer incurred. A financial sanction imposed under this section is a judgment in favor of the rescuer and, subject to a determination of indigency under division (B) of section 2929.28 of the Revised Code, a rescuer may collect the financial sanction in the same manner as provided in section 2929.28 of the Revised Code.
(D) As used in this section:
(1) “Emergency medical service organization,” “firefighting agency,” and “private fire company” have the same meanings as in section 9.60 of the Revised Code.
(2) “Rescuer” means a state agency, political subdivision, firefighting agency, private fire company, or emergency medical service organization.