Posted 9:59 pm Thursday, January 03, 2013
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No refusal weekend nets 18 arrests for DWI in ETexas
Eighteen people were arrested in Smith County during the holiday weekend as part of the no refusal driving while intoxicated campaign.
The campaign allows officers who suspect a driver has been drinking to obtain a blood sample if they refuse to submit to a breathalyzer test. The Tyler Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and multiple smaller town departments participated in the event, which ran Friday through Tuesday.
Of the 18 total arrested, 12 were arrested by DPS, three by the Tyler Police Department, and the sheriff’s office, Lindale and Whitehouse police departments each arrested one person for the crime.
DPS obtained two search warrants for blood samples.
Don Martin, Tyler police spokesman, said the measure of the campaign’s success is not in the number of people arrested, but rather the potential number of lives saved.
The campaign allows officers who suspect a driver has been drinking to obtain a blood sample if they refuse to submit to a breathalyzer test. The Tyler Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and multiple smaller town departments participated in the event, which ran Friday through Tuesday.
Of the 18 total arrested, 12 were arrested by DPS, three by the Tyler Police Department, and the sheriff’s office, Lindale and Whitehouse police departments each arrested one person for the crime.
DPS obtained two search warrants for blood samples.
Don Martin, Tyler police spokesman, said the measure of the campaign’s success is not in the number of people arrested, but rather the potential number of lives saved.
“Our objective is to take the DWI drivers off the roadways to make them safer,” Martin said. “Even one DWI arrest could result in saving a life.”
In 2011, 15 people were arrested during the campaign, which ran from Dec. 30 to Dec. 31. Of those, 10 were arrested by DPS, three by Tyler police, and the sheriff’s office and Arp Police Department each arrested one.
Three warrants for blood samples were issued in 2011.
In 2011, 15 people were arrested during the campaign, which ran from Dec. 30 to Dec. 31. Of those, 10 were arrested by DPS, three by Tyler police, and the sheriff’s office and Arp Police Department each arrested one.
Three warrants for blood samples were issued in 2011.
