Posted on December 12, 2018 in Uncategorized

Law enforcement in Montgomery County and the Shenandoah Police Departments have announced that they intend to increase patrols over the holidays in an effort to prevent drunk driving. They aren't the only police departments to be doing so: police departments in Houston and throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area will also be ramping up patrols between now and New Year's Eve. As mentioned, patrol officers will be on the lookout for drivers driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and many times they will stop someone for speeding, failing to use signals, and failing to use seatbelts -- among other minor traffic violations -- with an underlying motive to investigate if the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The initiative is funded by the Texas Department of Transportation under the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program. Many other departments, including those in Harris County and elsewhere, are expected to employ similar measures to stop drunk driving through the holidays. Here are some things you should keep in mind, therefore, throughout this holiday season.

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 Posted on December 12, 2018 in Uncategorized

A Houston police officer ha s been arrested after a witness reported that he struck a guardrail and was weaving on the shoulder of Interstate 69 near Hillcroft. The witness began following the officer, who was driving a white Toyota Camry with a flat tire during the incident. The officer re-entered the roadway after reaching the Bellaire exit. He finally exited the roadway near Beechnut and struck the left and right curb of the exit lane while exiting the interstate.

The vehicle finally stopped at a Toyota dealership, where the witness reported his car was smoking. The car eventually caught fire. Police arrived at approximately 10:25 am. The officer reported that he remembered hitting a curb but not striking the guardrail. He claimed that he was unaware that his tire was flat or that the vehicle was smoking. He reported driving to the dealership for routine service on his vehicle.

The officer was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Police reported the man was swaying while standing still, talked slowly, slurred his speech, and was slow to answer questions.

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 Posted on December 12, 2018 in Uncategorized

Minors are not allowed to purchase, consume, or attempt to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages in Texas. It is illegal for a minor to falsely represent themselves as being age 21 or over in order to purchase alcohol and it is illegal for a minor to drive while intoxicated. The penalties for a DUI-, DWI-, or alcohol-related offense can be steep for minors.

But illegal drinking while under the age of 21 and the possibility of serious penalties if convicted did not stop a 19-year-old from drinking at Servo-Car el Houston just a few days before Christmas. He didn't stop with the drinking either but got into his vehicle. Shortly thereafter, tragedy ensued and he may be facing decades behind bars. One person is now dead and his life may be irrevocably changed while five others were arrested for charges related to the event.

Texas Teenager Charged with Intoxication Manslaughter

A Texas teenager was arrested after his vehicle crossed three lanes of traffic just minutes after he left a bar on December 16 and crashed into an SUV. According to surveillance video from cameras at the bar, the teenager left the bar around 10:49 pm. At approximately 10:51 pm, his vehicle swerved across three lanes of traffic killing the driver of an SUV and injuring two other persons.

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 Posted on November 11, 2018 in Uncategorized

Earlier this month, police officers responded to calls about an early morning crash on Highway 59 in Stafford. When they arrived on the scene, they began to suspect that at least one of the drivers involved in the accident was intoxicated. Officers questioned 44-year-old Richard Robert Bryant and learned that he had been drinking earlier in the evening. He was arrested on suspicion of DWI after he failed field sobriety tests. A breath test was also performed, which showed that Bryant had a blood alcohol concentration of.149.

At trial, Bryant's attorney argued that Bryant had suffered a concussion in the crash. This, he claimed, is why he had performed so poorly on field sobriety tests at the scene. However, a concussion could not explain the fact that Bryant's blood alcohol concentration was nearly twice the legal limit. Bryant agreed to a plea deal with state prosecutors, in which he was able to secure a relatively light sentence. He's required to complete 12 months of probation but avoids time behind bars.

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 Posted on November 11, 2018 in Uncategorized

This year, more than 4 million people in the state of Texas are expected to travel at least 50 miles to celebrate Thanksgiving. The holidays are often a time to relax with family and, if you're of age, enjoy a few drinks. Be careful if you decide to get behind the wheel on Thanksgiving. Texas State Troopers have made it clear that they'll be watching the roads carefully. While they'll be searching for any traffic violations, they'll really be keeping an eye out for drunk and impaired drivers.

DWI Arrests Tend to Spike Around the Holidays

There are two reasons DWI arrests tend to happen more around the holidays. First, the holidays are a time to celebrate. Celebrations often involve alcohol. As a result, more people may drive with alcohol in their system. Second, police dispatch additional officers to monitor the roads during the holidays. This is done, in part, because traffic tends to be heavier during these times. It's also done because police know drivers may be more likely to be intoxicated. The chances of being pulled over on suspicion of DWI are simply greater when there are more police watching the roads. The best advice for avoiding a DWI arrest is to completely abstain from drinking alcohol and then driving, even though the law allows a person to drink and then drive so long as they do not drink so much that they become legally drunk, or intoxicated. This is true because enforcement of DWI laws is very subjective and police tend to air on the side of caution and arrest rather than release those who have been drinking and driving.

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 Posted on November 11, 2018 in Uncategorized

In March 2017, 21-year-old Jack Young crashed his pickup truck into a church bus in South Texas. More than a dozen people were killed in the accident. Young was arrested on suspicion of DWI and subsequently charged with multiple counts of intoxication manslaughter. An investigation found that the young driver was driving under the influence of several controlled substances, including marijuana and the prescription sedative clonazepam. Earlier this week, Young was sentenced to 55 years in prison for his role in the fatal accident.

Drugged Driving in Texas

The crime is commonly referred to as "drinking and driving." However, Texas state DWI law involves much more than the consumption of alcohol. Specifically, it's a crime to operate a motor vehicle if you are intoxicated.

State law defines intoxicated to mean

not having the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of alcohol, a controlled substance, a drug, a dangerous drug, a combination of two or more of those substances, or any other substance into the body.

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 Posted on November 11, 2018 in Uncategorized

A Houston police officer is facing criminal charges for DWI after allegedly causing a multi-car accident. According to reports, the Bobby Lee Jennings, 50, sideswiped two vehicles on Houston Ave and crashed into the back of another. Police arrived on the scene and determined that Jennings appeared to be intoxicated. A special investigator was called to handle the DWI assessment. Jennings, who was on call at the time of the accident, was taken into custody and later charged with driving while intoxicated. The officer will remain on paid administrative leave while an internal investigation is conducted.

Accidents Lead to Suspicion of DWI

Only a fraction of the traffic accidents in Houston involves a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, if you're involved in an accident, one of the first things police will try to determine is if you or any other drivers seem to be intoxicated. Officers will ask questions that are designed to identify impairment. These questions may include:

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 Posted on November 11, 2018 in Uncategorized

A 38-year-old semi-truck driver led Texas police on a 37-mile long pursuit that spanned three different counties. The incident began when officers noticed the truck "erratically swerving" in and out of lanes of traffic. The driver refused to yield to the officers' request to pull over. Instead, he continued to drive, making his way through residential neighborhoods and Texas highways. He even attempted to run over several deputies during the chase.

Police were ultimately able to stop the truck by puncturing the tires with spike strips. Once the truck came to a halt, police officers discovered that the driver was not alone. Instead, he was accompanied by his wife and two young children. He was promptly arrested for evading police, aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, and felony DWI.

Driving With Young Children Triggers Felony DWI Charges

The semi-truck driver was arrested on suspicion of DWI after leading police on a lengthy pursuit across three Texas counties. He will face felony DWI charges since his two young children - aged one and eight - were in the vehicle. If convicted of DWI with a child passenger, which is a State Jail Felony, the driver could face up to 2 years behind bars and be required to pay $10,000 in criminal fines. His driver's license will also be at risk. The consequences may be more severe since he holds a commercial license.

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 Posted on November 11, 2018 in Uncategorized

Earlier this month, Houston police received a concerned call about a potentially drunk driver at a local fast food restaurant. The caller noted that the driver had been sitting at the restaurant's drive-through window for more than 20 minutes. While responding to the call, an officer witnessed a vehicle without a license plate driving without its lights on. The officer diverted from the original call and proceeded to pull over the driver of this vehicle. According to reports, the vehicle smelled like alcohol and the driver was uncooperative. Subsequent chemical tests determined that her blood alcohol concentration was nearly three times the legal limit. She was arrested and charged with her second DWI offense.

How Reliable Are Breath Tests?

Police actually tested the DWI suspect's breath twice. While both tests showed that she was intoxicated, the results were not identical. The first test showed a blood alcohol concentration of.227 percent. The second test showed a blood alcohol concentration of.218 percent. That's a difference of nearly one-tenth of one percent. It may not sound like much, particularly in this context where the BAC is so extremely elevated, but an additional.009 percent could be quite significant in other DWI cases.

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 Posted on November 11, 2018 in Uncategorized

Getting a DWI in Houston can adversely affect your ability to work. After a recent DWI arrest, a local Houston firefighter is learning this lesson the hard way. According to reports, Severiano Vasquez was arrested on suspicion of DWI earlier this month after crashing his car into a light post. Even though the firefighter wasn't on duty at the time of the incident, his job may still be in jeopardy. He's currently under administrative investigation and suspended from the department.

Can Firefighters in Texas Be Fired For DWI?

It's possible. Each fire department in Texas has the ability to set its own administrative policies. This includes policies relevant to employee termination. As long as the policy isn't discriminatory, it's possible for departments to call for the termination of firefighters if they're arrested or convicted for DWI. Many fire departments across the state of Texas have such rules in place.

One example of a Texas fire department DWI-related policy comes from San Antonio. After DWIs involving their firefighters, the department revamped its internal policies. If a San Antonio firefighter is arrested for a first DWI offense they can automatically be placed on administrative suspension. The department reserves the right to impose penalties, including additional suspension, rehabilitation, and/or mandatory counseling if an investigation determines that the firefighter violated the law. A firefighter can be terminated from his or her employment the second time they're arrested for DWI.

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