First-time DWI arrests increase Memorial Day weekend

Arrests for first-time DWI offenders were up more than 41 percent during this year’s Memorial Day weekend, according to Midland County Sheriff’s Office arrest records.

There were 18 DWI arrests between Friday and Monday — the same number of arrests in 2012 during the holiday’s four-day weekend time frame, according to the records.

Of this year’s arrests, 17 were first-time offenders, five more than last year. Fifteen DWIs were Class B misdemeanors, an 87.50 percent increase. There weren’t any second- or third-time offenders this Memorial Day weekend.

Public intoxication arrests also were up by 20 percent with 24 charges, four more than the holiday weekend in 2012.

This past weekend also saw one arrest for intoxicated manslaughter when a San Angelo man struck a motorcyclist Saturday night and fled the scene on foot, according to previous Reporter-Telegram articles.

Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter said he attributes the increase in arrests of first-time offenders to a greater law enforcement presence on the roadways.

He said that during this year’s Crude Fest, the Sheriff’s Office made more arrests related to alcohol, which prompted increased enforcement during the Memorial Day weekend, when many people were expected to be consuming alcohol.

The Midland Police Department has made 240 DWI arrests through May 20 of this year, according to Sara Higgins, the city’s public information officer. She said it’s not surprising to see an increase in DWI arrests with the city’s rapidly growing population.

The law enforcement increase comes in the wake of a “drastic” rise in alcohol-related accidents, Painter said.

In the past three fatal crashes in Midland County, the drivers all were under the influence of alcohol, according to Reporter-Telegram records. With the National Transportation Safety Board’s recent recommendation to lower the legal blood alcohol content limit from 0.08 to 0.05, Painter said the legal limit should be even lower.

“I want to see the legal limit lowered to 0.02,” he said.

Painter said people should not be drinking and driving, regardless of how much alcohol they have consumed. He said with less restrictive alcohol laws, people frequently will take advantage of the law.

“If you give them a foot, they’re going to take a mile,” he said.

Painter said the best and safest place to consume alcohol is at home or a place where a person can stay and not get back on the roadways. Memorial Day Weekend 2013 Statistics

First-time offenders: 17 (41.67 percent more than 2012)

Open container of alcohol: 1 (one more than 2012)

Public intoxication: 24 (four more than 2012)

DWI: 15 (87.50 percent more than 2012)

2nd DWI : 0 (three fewer than 2012)

3rd DWI: 0 (three fewer than 2012)

DWI open alcohol container: 2 (one more than 2012)

2nd DWI open alcohol container: 0 (one fewer than 2012)

DWI with child under 15 years of age: 0 (one fewer than 2012)

Minor in possession of alcohol: 0 (two fewer than 2012)

Intoxicated manslaughter: 1 (one more than 2012)

DWI with a BAC >= 0.15: 0 (one fewer than 2012)

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Source: My west Texas (White, 5/28)