Police recently arrested a pregnant woman whom they suspect was driving under the influence of alcohol. The early morning incident occurred near West University Place. An officer responded to a call to assist a disabled vehicle, and when the officer arrived he found a woman behind the wheel of the car and two children in the back seat. The officer noticed that the woman smelled of alcohol and was slurring her speech. The woman admitted to drinking alcohol before driving her vehicle, and she also told the officer that she is six months pregnant.
Texas drivers should be aware that DWI with a child passenger is a different offense than DWI without a child passenger. It is a state jail felony in Texas to drive while you are intoxicated, and there are one or more passengers in your vehicle who are under fifteen years of age. Individuals convicted of DWI with a child passenger could face between one hundred and eighty days and two years in state jail. The can also be fined up to ten thousand dollars. They could also lose eligibility for certain types of government assistance, voting rights, ability to run for public office, and gun ownership and possession rights. They could even face disqualification from certain professions.
Unfortunately, the aforementioned consequences are only some of the ways that DWI with a child passenger could affect your life. Perhaps the most painful consequences that come with a DWI with a child passenger are those which affect the driver’s family life. When a driver is charged with DWI with a child passenger, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services may remove the child or children from the driver’s custody. They may also pursue a child endangerment case against the driver. Losing custody of your children to the Department of Family and Protective Services, even temporarily, can be scary and devastating, even if your kids can be placed in the care of family or friends for the duration of you custody case. Parents and children suffer greatly both during and after child custody cases, and it can be a long and complicated process to navigate before everyone is back together under one roof, if the family can work through the process successfully.
Texas DWI Defense Attorney Alex Tyra – Support for Texas Drivers Facing DWI Charges
If you are charged with DWI with a child passenger, you are likely to be concerned about your family’s future as well as any consequences that you may have to endure. Your Texas DWI defense attorney can do many things to build a strong case on your behalf, especially if you contact them early on in your case. If you are accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, either with or without a child passenger, give yourself the best chance at a positive outcome in your case by contacting a knowledgeable Texas DWI Defense Attorney right away. Call Texas DWI Defense Attorney Alex Tyra, at (903) 753-7499, or you may contact us online through our convenient online contact form.