Criminal Vehicular Operation

Newmark Storms’ criminal defense attorneys try Criminal Vehicular Operation (CVO) cases in Minnesota and similar cases in Wisconsin.

When a driver who is under the influence causes an accident resulting in the serious injury of one or more individuals, the state prosecutor will most likely charge the driver with Criminal Vehicular Operation. In Minnesota, 10 separate acts can result in being charged with criminal vehicular operation. The penalties range from gross misdemeanor to felony, determined by the extent of injury caused by the driver’s conduct.

Minnesota has four penalty levels for criminal vehicular operation:

• A person charged with criminal vehicular operation (homicide) and causes the death of a human or of an unborn child may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to 10 years or pay a fine of up to $20,000, or both. See criminal vehicular homicide.
• A person charged with criminal vehicular operation that causes great bodily harm to another person or to an unborn child may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to five years or sentenced to pay a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
• A person charged with criminal vehicular operation that causes substantial bodily harm to another person may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to three years or to pay a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
• A person who violates subdivision 1 and causes bodily harm to another may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to one year or to pay a fine of up to $3,000, or both.

A person can be charged with criminal vehicular operation even if the only person injured is in the offender’s vehicle. In addition to lengthy jail sentences, fines, and restitution, a conviction for criminal vehicular operation can carry up to a 10-year loss of driving privileges.