Underage Drinking at University of Dayton

Underage Drinking at the University of Dayton

College is an exciting time in a student’s life. Often, a student’s first experiences with drugs and alcohol happen while he or she is in college. Although underage drinking and drug use are often overlooked and have even become, for many, an accepted part of the college experience, it is important for students and parents to always remember that these are criminal offenses. When a student is charged with underage drinking, he or she faces steep criminal penalties.

How is Underage Drinking Charged in Ohio?

Underage drinking is a first-degree misdemeanor. When a student is charged with underage drinking in a motor vehicle, he or she faces additional penalties beyond those related to the first-degree misdemeanor charge. These include a minimum fine of $250 and a mandatory 90-day driver’s license suspension.

Related Charges

When underage students drink alcohol, they are not the only ones who can potentially face criminal charges. The individual who supplied them with alcohol, whether that is a parent or a fellow student who is over the age of 21, may be charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor. This is also a first-degree misdemeanor. Additionally, any adult who supplies minors with alcohol may be held liable for the damages they cause while intoxicated. This includes injuries to themselves as well as physical injury and property damage to others.

Drinking increases a student’s likelihood of engaging in other behaviors that can result in criminal charges. These behaviors include:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI);
• Possessing and using controlled dangerous substances;
• Sexual assault;
• Public intoxication; and
• Vandalism.

Penalties for Underage Drinking

In Ohio, underage drinking is a first-degree misdemeanor. An individual under the age of 21 can face a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail for possessing or consuming alcohol. Although it is rare for an individual to be sentenced to jail time for drinking underage, it can and does happen, especially when a judge wants to make an example of an individual.

Additionally, your child can face the social and professional stigma of having a criminal record as well as penalties from the University of Dayton like loss of a scholarship and expulsion.

If your son or daughter is charged with underage drinking while attending the University of Dayton, hire an experienced criminal defense attorney to fight the charge on his or her behalf. Even if underage drinking is against your personal values, keep in mind that an underage drinking conviction can permanently derail your child’s education and disadvantage him or her in the job market.