Opinion ID: 1252231
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Legality of Impounding Defendant's Motor Vehicle.

Text: On the issue involving the impoundment of defendant's motor vehicle the State confesses error. It suggests, and we agree, that the language of the applicable impoundment statute, Iowa Code section 321J.4B(1) (Supp.1995), only applies to persons who are convicted of a second, third, or subsequent offense of operating while intoxicated. [1] That language is identical to the language used in section 321J.2(3) to describe the enhanced offenses of second, third, or subsequent OWI. When the same language is used in different Code sections that are similar in subject matter, that language is ordinarily given the same meaning throughout. Farmers Coop. Co. v. DeCoster, 528 N.W.2d 536, 538-39 (Iowa 1995); Carson v. Roediger, 513 N.W.2d 713, 716 (Iowa 1994); Ida County Courier v. Attorney Gen., 316 N.W.2d 846, 850 (Iowa 1982). We thus interpret the language of section 321J.4B(1) as permitting vehicle impoundment only in instances in which a person is actually convicted of the enhanced offense of second, third, or subsequent OWI. It does not apply with respect to two or more convictions of OWI, first offense.