The Tarrant County District Attorney is sending out a warning ahead of the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays to not drink and drive.
The DA warned that the county operates under “No Refusal” year-round, meaning drivers pulled over for suspected impaired driving who refuse to take a routine breath test will be subject to a court-ordered blood test.
“There is no excuse for driving while intoxicated, not anymore when there are so many ways people can get home that don’t require getting behind the wheel,” said Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Sharen Wilson in a prepared statement.
“Take an Uber, Lyft, or taxi home. Have a friend pick you up,” she said. “Don’t drive while intoxicated. If you do, we will get your blood and we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law.”
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In a statement, Monday the DA’s office said driving while intoxicated is one of the most committed crimes in Tarrant County with 5,122 DWI cases through Dec. 15.
The Texas Department of Transportation is continuing this month their Drive Sober, No Regrets campaign to curb driving while intoxicated through hosted events across the state featuring video testimonials of Texans who live with the daily consequences of drunken driving.
TxDOT said during the holiday season last year, from Dec. 1, 2020, and Jan. 1, 2021, there were 2,462 DUI-alcohol-related traffic crashes in Texas. Those crashes killed 93 people and seriously injured another 215.
A first offense of DWI is a Class B misdemeanor, which comes with a fine of as much as $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail.