MILFORD, Ohio — A Cincinnati woman is facing a felony OVI — operating a vehicle impaired — charge in Clermont County after police say a vehicle hit a parked car in Milford and the driver left the scene on foot.
Joann Louise Colborn, 40, was charged in Clermont County Municipal Court with fourth-degree felony OVI involving a breath-alcohol concentration, or BAC, of .17 or greater.
According to a complaint filed by Milford Police, officers were called to the area of Main Street and Garfield Avenue on May 7 after reports of a vehicle crash involving a parked vehicle.
The complaint says one call came directly to the Milford Police Department’s non-emergency number, while another came through Hamilton County Dispatch.
When officers arrived, police said the female driver of the striking vehicle had left the area on foot toward the Riverwalk Condos on Water Street. Witnesses reportedly described the driver and the direction she was walking. Police said the woman was last seen near the Little Miami River bank.
After searching for her, officers said they learned she had been picked up by a female resident of Riverwalk Condos and taken to her apartment on Wooster Pike in Cincinnati.
Police identified the woman as Colborn and said she failed standardized field sobriety tests. She was arrested on suspicion of felony OVI.
The complaint states that Colborn provided a breath sample and her BAC was .188%.
Police also allege she was driving under suspension, obstructing official business, failed to maintain control and left the scene of a crash.
Court records list the OVI charge as a fourth-degree felony, with the docket noting it as a “4th/10Y” offense, meaning the charge is connected to alleged prior OVI history within a 10-year period.
The court complaint states Colborn has prior OVI convictions listed in October 2023, September 2020 and August 2020, as well as additional OVI convictions in September 2006 and December 2004.
A warrant was issued on May 7 and marked as served on May 8, according to court records. A bond hearing was scheduled for 10 a.m. May 8 before Judge Jessica A. Little.
What to know
In Ohio, OVI stands for operating a vehicle impaired. It is Ohio’s term for impaired driving and can involve alcohol, drugs or a combination of both.
An OVI does not always remain a misdemeanor. Repeat OVI cases can be charged as felonies depending on a person’s prior convictions and the timeframe involved.
BAC stands for blood-alcohol concentration. A breath-alcohol result of .17% or higher is treated as a high-tier OVI allegation in Ohio. That is more than twice Ohio’s standard legal limit of .08% for most drivers.
Colborn has been charged, but the case has not been proven in court.
