OVI Results in 10-Year Prison Sentence
ST. CLAIRSVILLE – As expected, Tuesday afternoon Belmont County Court of Common Please Judge John Vavra sentenced Sandy Ridge resident Douglas Ryan Johnston to a maximum sentence for his 11th OVI charge. He will serve 10 years in the Ohio Prison System.
Johnston avoided a trial by pleading guilty to the charges on January 12 when he entered a guilty plea to an indictment “of two or more felony OVI charges, specifically six or more within a 20-year span” .
The judge noted there was nothing else that could be done. He will protect the public as long as he can. In addition to the prison term, Johnston was ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 and had his driver’s license revoked for life. Incidentally, his driving privileges were previously revoked for life two other times for earlier OVI charges.
Johnston was originally charged with OVI following a single vehicle accident in Wayne Township in November. That case was heard by Western Division Court Judge Eric Costine.
Indicted in December for this accident and other OVI charges over the years, Johnston’s case was transferred to the Belmont County Court of Common Pleas.
Read previous Barnesville Area News accounts of the accident and court proceedings here.
Case information is posted on the Belmont County Courts website.
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