If you were arrested for OVI in Akron last night, your phone is probably lighting up with texts, DMs, and notifications before you have even caught your breath. Friends want to know what happened, people may be tagging you in photos from the night, and you might feel an urge to explain yourself or make a joke to show you are okay. All of that is completely human, and it is all happening in a space that prosecutors and judges can see.
In those first hours and days after an Akron OVI arrest, what you do on social media can quietly become some of the most damaging evidence in your case. A single meme, a comment about how much you had to drink, or a frustrated rant about the officer can end up printed and sitting in front of the prosecutor or judge who will make decisions about your license and your future. This is not about scaring you; it is about giving you a clear picture of how the system really works so you can protect yourself.
I have spent nearly two decades defending people charged with OVI and other criminal offenses in Akron and across Northeast Ohio. I regularly sit in Akron Municipal Court and Summit County courts and watch prosecutors walk into pre-trials with screenshots from Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. In this article, I want to share how those posts get there, the biggest social media mistakes I see after an OVI arrest, and practical steps you can take right now to keep from making your situation worse.
How Akron Prosecutors Actually Use Social Media In OVI Cases
Many people think social media is separate from the court process. They imagine that what really matters is what happened on the roadside or at the station, and that what they say online is just blowing off steam. In Akron OVI cases, that is not how it works. Prosecutors treat your online presence as another source of information about who you are, what you were doing, and how seriously you take the charge.
In practice, there are several ways your posts end up in an OVI file. Sometimes your profile is public, and an officer or prosecutor can simply type in your name and scroll. In other situations, a friend, former partner, or even a concerned coworker sends screenshots to law enforcement or directly to the prosecutor. I routinely see discovery packets in Akron that contain printed screenshots someone else captured from a private account. Once a screenshot exists, it can be authenticated by the person who took it, which is often enough for a prosecutor to try to use it.
Prosecutors and probation officers are not just hunting for a smoking gun. They look for patterns. If they see photos of heavy drinking every weekend, posts about driving after a few, or jokes about blowing over, they may view you as a higher risk and a poorer candidate for leniency. If they see a long, angry post accusing the officer of lying, they may bring that up in negotiations or at sentencing and argue that you lack remorse or respect for the law. I have watched prosecutors in Akron Municipal Court lay these screenshots on the table during pretrials and use them as leverage against my clients.
Even posts that seem unrelated to the night of your arrest can become part of this picture. A photo of you at a bar while your case is pending, a story showing shots, or a caption about being back at it again can make it harder for me to argue that the incident was a one-time mistake. Because I have built relationships with judges and prosecutors over nearly two decades, I have a clear sense of how certain posts tend to land in those rooms, and it often is not in your favor.
The Biggest Akron OVI Social Media Mistakes I See
Every case is different, but the same social media mistakes show up again and again after Akron OVI arrests. Most people are not trying to hurt their case. They are embarrassed, upset, or trying to save face with friends. Understanding how these mistakes are viewed from the other side can help you avoid turning a bad night into a much bigger problem.
One major mistake is posting your side of the story. You might feel that the officer twisted what happened, so you go on Facebook and write a detailed account of the stop or the field sobriety tests. The problem is that anything you post becomes a statement that can be compared to the police report, body camera footage, and what you later say in court. If there are differences, the prosecutor can use them to attack your credibility. I have seen lengthy posts meant to defend someone turned around and used as proof that the person was changing the story.
Another common error is joking about the OVI or drunk driving in general. People post memes about breath tests, share a joke about blowing over, or write something like still driving better than most people even after a few. From the standpoint of a judge or prosecutor in Akron, that can look like you are not taking the charge seriously. It can undermine my efforts to present you as someone who understands the seriousness of the situation and is committed to avoiding future problems.
Posting or sharing photos from the night of the arrest often causes trouble as well. A picture that shows a lineup of drinks, a crowded party, or you holding a bottle becomes a visual exhibit that the prosecutor can point to. Even worse, the comments under that photo might include friends saying you were wasted or that they cannot believe you tried to drive home. Those comments are not controlled by you, but they live right under your name and can be extremely damaging when printed out and placed next to the police report.
Arguing with people online about what happened or attacking the officer by name is also risky. Screenshots of those arguments can be used to paint you as combative or unwilling to accept responsibility. I have seen heated threads that the person thought were private end up in a discovery file. Because I personally handle every aspect of my cases, I am often the one sitting next to a client when the prosecutor slides those prints across the table. That experience has shaped the advice I give here. These posts are much easier to prevent than to fix once they exist.
Why Privacy Settings, Deleting Posts, and “Close Friends” Stories Do Not Protect You
After an Akron OVI arrest, many people reassure themselves that their account is locked down, so they are safe to post. Or they start deleting things and assume that if it is off their profile, it cannot hurt them. These assumptions are understandable, but they do not match how social media really works in the context of a criminal case.
Privacy settings control who can see your content directly through the platform. They do not control whether someone in that group can take a screenshot or record their screen. A single screenshot can be texted to dozens of people, emailed to a prosecutor, or included in a complaint. I have seen posts that were visible only to friends end up in discovery because one of those friends took a screenshot and shared it months later when they became upset with the person facing charges.
Deleting or editing posts raises its own set of concerns. Once you have reason to believe content might be relevant to a legal matter, removing it can open the door to accusations that you are trying to hide something. Courts take destruction of evidence seriously, even when the person did not intend any wrongdoing. That does not mean you are stuck with every post you have ever made. It does mean that you should talk with your attorney before you start cleaning up your profiles so that any decisions fit within a sound legal strategy.
People also tend to underestimate the reach of features like close friends' stories, private groups, or direct messages. Those tools limit who sees content on the front end, but they do not prevent someone in that circle from capturing and sharing it. A close friend's story about drinks to forget last night or a group chat where someone jokes about you driving fine even after six beers can turn into evidence if a member of that circle decides to cooperate with law enforcement or simply posts a screenshot elsewhere.
Because I handle both criminal and related civil matters, I also see how these same posts can cause problems with employers, licensing boards, and potential civil claims tied to an incident. A post that seems like harmless venting can get copied into a human resources file or an insurance claim. Privacy tools are useful, but they are not a shield in the way most people imagine. Treat anything you put online as potentially public and permanent, especially after an arrest.
How Posts About Drinking, Parties, and Daily Life Can Affect Your License and Sentence
You might assume that as long as you do not mention the OVI itself, you are safe. In reality, posts about drinking, parties, and your daily life can still play a role in how your case is handled in Akron. Courts and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles look at risk, responsibility, and whether you are following any conditions placed on you while the case is pending.
In many OVI cases, judges set bond conditions or, later, probation terms that restrict alcohol use, require treatment, or order you to obey all laws. If you are regularly posting photos from bars, showing yourself taking shots, or joking about blackouts, that content can make it harder to argue that you are complying with the spirit of those conditions. Even if your bond does not explicitly ban alcohol, a judge may see those posts and conclude that you do not fully understand the seriousness of the situation.
License issues can also be affected by what you post. Ohio OVI cases often involve administrative license suspensions through the BMV, and you might seek limited driving privileges for work, school, or family obligations. When I argue for those privileges in Akron courts, I want to be able to present you as someone focused on stability and safety. If the prosecutor can pull out recent posts of you club-hopping or bragging about late nights, that picture becomes harder to paint.
Probation officers sometimes check public profiles as part of their supervision. If you are ordered to complete treatment, attend AA, or avoid certain people or places, visible violations on social media can lead to violation hearings. I have seen situations where online behavior did not create a new charge, but it did make a judge less patient and less willing to consider alternatives to jail if any other issue came up during the case.
Because I appear regularly in Akron Municipal Court and courts across Summit and surrounding counties, I have watched how judges react when they believe someone is ignoring their orders or minimizing the problem. Those reactions are often based as much on perception as on strict legal rules. Your social media presence is one of the clearest windows into those perceptions, which is why being cautious about what you post about drinking and parties can make a real difference in how your OVI case is resolved.
What To Do With Your Social Media Accounts After an Akron OVI Arrest
Once you understand the risks, the next question is what you should actually do with your accounts. The first and most important step is to stop posting about your case or anything that touches it. That includes direct comments about the arrest, jokes about the officer, and posts that show drinking or partying while your OVI is pending. A pause is not an admission of guilt. It is a smart way to avoid feeding the other side free evidence.
Next, review your privacy settings and consider tightening them. Limit who can see past posts, who can tag you, and who can post on your timeline. This will not erase anything that already exists, but it can reduce the chance that new content gets added without your knowledge. At the same time, be careful about mass deletion or aggressive editing before you have legal advice. A better approach is often to take screenshots of anything you are worried about, save them privately, and then talk through the options with your attorney.
You will also want a plan for how to handle questions from friends and family online. It is natural for people to comment, asking what happened, or to write supportive messages on your profile. You do not have to ignore them entirely, but you should avoid getting into details. Simple responses like I am working with an attorney and cannot talk about it online protect you far more than long explanations or arguments. Those conversations are better had in person or by phone, not in comment threads that live forever.
This is an area where direct communication with your lawyer matters. In my practice at Christopher G. Thomarios, Esq., LLC, I take the time early in a case to discuss my client’s online presence and specific concerns. Because I return calls quickly and stay personally involved from start to finish, clients know they can reach out before reacting to a new tag, message, or post. A short call before you respond online can prevent a lot of trouble later.
How I Help Akron OVI Clients Avoid Online Missteps
When someone hires me after an Akron OVI arrest, we do not just talk about breath tests and field sobriety videos. We also talk about what they have posted, what is still online, and what might be coming. In our first meetings, I routinely ask about social media platforms they use, whether any posts or stories relate to the night in question, and whether friends have been tagging or messaging them about it.
From there, we develop a plan. That might include pausing all new posts, adjusting settings, and making a list of content that could matter in the case. Because I am a true sole practitioner, I am the same person reviewing that content, filing motions, negotiating with prosecutors, and standing next to you in court. There is no handoff to an associate or staff member who does not know the full story. That continuity helps ensure that our social media strategy supports our defense strategy instead of working against it.
I also bring an integrated perspective. My work covers both criminal defense and related civil matters, which means I am looking not only at what a prosecutor might do with a post, but also how an employer, licensing board, or civil attorney might use it. For many clients, especially professionals or commercial drivers, reputation and career consequences are just as painful as the criminal penalties. Taking the time on the front end to address online exposure can help limit that damage.
Clients often tell me they appreciate having someone calm and approachable they can call or text when they are not sure about a potential post or message. In a system where people often feel like a number, my hands-on approach gives them consistent guidance from the same person throughout the case. That includes talking through close calls like whether to accept a tag, how to respond if someone publicly accuses them of being drunk, or what to do if an old photo suddenly resurfaces while the case is pending.
When You Have Already Posted: Damage Control Steps
Many people find this kind of article after they have already posted something. If you have shared your side of the story, made a joke, or left up photos from the night of your Akron OVI arrest, you are not alone. By the time most clients sit down in my office, at least some social media activity has happened. The key is to stop adding to the problem and then take thoughtful steps to address what already exists.
The first step is to pause. Do not respond to new comments about the case, and do not start explaining or defending old posts. Take screenshots of anything you are worried about, including the comments, and save them where you can easily share them with your attorney. This gives us a clear record to work with, even if those posts later come down or are changed by other people.
Next, schedule a consultation quickly. When I meet with clients at Christopher G. Thomarios, Esq., LLC, I want to see exactly what has been posted, who has interacted with it, and how public it is. From there, we can talk about whether the content is likely to show up in discovery, how a prosecutor might use it, and whether any corrective steps make sense. Sometimes our focus is on preparing to address the post if it appears. In other cases, we may decide that a limited, carefully worded update is appropriate, especially if inaccurate information is spreading.
What you should not do is message friends asking them to lie about what they saw or pressure people to delete their own posts in a way that looks like you are trying to hide evidence. That kind of behavior can create bigger problems than the original content. A calm, honest conversation with your lawyer about what is out there is far safer. My role is not to judge you for what you posted in a stressful moment. It is to help you deal with the situation you are in now and protect your case as much as possible.
Talk With an Akron OVI Lawyer Before You Post Again
An OVI arrest in Akron is stressful enough without worrying that every post or story might end up in front of a judge. The good news is that you still control what you do from this point forward. Pausing your online activity, understanding how social media is actually used in OVI cases, and getting tailored advice can make a real difference in protecting your defense, your license, and your reputation.
Before you post anything else about your arrest, your night out, or even your weekend plans, take a moment to talk with a lawyer who understands how these cases work in Akron and across Northeast Ohio. At Christopher G. Thomarios, Esq., LLC, I personally handle every aspect of your case, including guidance on social media and public exposure, and I am available when you need answers most. To discuss your situation confidentially and get clear direction on your next steps, contact us today or call us at (888) 506-2167.