In a car crash or other incident involving multiple vehicles the police may investigate whether the driver of any of the vehicles is under the influence of or intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, and are not limited to investigating and arresting only the driver who was at fault in the accident, for example.
In Ohio, when a car crash or other incident involving multiple vehicles occurs, law enforcement officers have the authority to investigate all drivers involved for potential impairment due to alcohol or drugs, regardless of who is at fault. Ohio Revised Code Section 4511.19 prohibits operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a combination of them. If an officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a driver is impaired, they can conduct field sobriety tests and may arrest the driver for operating a vehicle while impaired (OVI). This means that even if a driver is not responsible for causing the accident, they can still face an OVI investigation and potential arrest if there is suspicion of impairment.