A Driving While Intoxicated Task Force initiated in Fort Bend this past weekend resulted in the issuance of two warrants to draw blood from suspected drunk drivers.
The Texas Department of Public Safety initiated the task force from 6 p.m. Jan. 22 until 3 a.m. Jan. 23. The purpose of the task force was to improve public safety by increasing patrols during the hours when impaired driving is most likely to occur.
During the operation, DPS troopers made ten driving while intoxicated arrests and the Rosenberg Police Department, who participated in their own initiative, made two more.
Of those arrests, seven suspects consented to the taking of a breath specimen on the Intoxilyzer instrument and three suspects consented to having a blood specimen taken. Two suspects refused to give either a blood or breath sample and were subsequently served with search warrants for their blood, signed by Fort Bend County District Court Judges Thomas R. Culver, III and James H. Shoemake.
Oak Bend and Sugar Land Methodist hospitals provided medical assistance for the blood draws.
Blood search warrants have been upheld by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals as a legal means to obtain evidence in driving while intoxicated cases. As the use of such search warrants increased around the state, Texas legislators recently made it easier for police officers to obtain warrants by expanding the list of judges who are able to sign blood search warrants involving intoxication offenses
“We are very thankful to the police officers who worked to make Fort Bend County residents safer on our streets. We are also appreciative of the judges who assisted us in obtaining vital evidence needed to determine if someone was driving while impaired,” said Assistant District Attorney Sherry Robinson.
DPS Lt. Daniel Terronez stated his hopes to make this a routine program in Fort Bend County with more agencies joining future initiatives.
“I am very pleased that the Department of Public Safety developed this task force initiative,” said District Attorney John Healey. “My office has worked with DPS and other agencies on similar operations. I believe these efforts will enable police officers and prosecutors to develop a more accurate case as to whether someone was driving while intoxicated and will discourage others from drinking to excess and driving.”
The law enforcement officers comprising the task force included DPS Lt. Daniel Terronez, Sgt. Michael Bowen, Sgt. Steve Holtz, Sgt. Richard Howard, and Troopers Jonathan Aldridge, Chris Perkins, Travis Dendy, Mark Contreras, Alfred Ochoa, Alton Tomlin, Corey Robinson, Adina Espinosa, Kerry Barton, Joseph Lawrence, Devon Wiles, Edwin Lara and Rosenberg Officers Steven Clarke and Dustin Rodgers. Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorneys Matt Banister, Amanda Bolin, Drew Dornburg, Jason Bennyhoff, Sherry Robinson and legal intern Matt Gallagher also provided assistance for the initiative.
Now, y’all know I don’t condone impaired driving but…the libertarian in me is asking…do I have to provide the evidence necessary to convict myself? Or can I just say no and let the state prove their case with their evidence?
As to those responsible truths: Texas statisics in 2008, for example, indicates 1/3 of the fatalities were characterized “alcohol-related”– meaning either a pedestrian, or motorist was killed. By way if the same characterization, the total highway fatalities that actually includes this 1/3, is also including motorists not wearing seatbelts– the “primary leader” in traffic fatalities.
As in merely texting correct lecters on an IPhone? My petite fingers are blessed with the courage to consistingly seek out responsible truths.
It would be more realistic if our signs along U.S. 59 — specifying “23 alcohol-related” traffic accidents were as true to it’s cause–as it’s difficult to believe after 3 tears since I have noticed these signs the alcohol related deaths have remained the same. These facts merely are not justifiably correct, if one is to believe the “facts” as wriiten up by the media. DA Gealey has never to my knowledge ever spoken out referencing that VIP signage! It behooves our government, in essence to hide true facts from it’s constituents.