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It's 2022, you would think that people would learn by now that drinking and driving just don't mix. It's against the law and you can end up killing innocent people. But no, it's still happening. These people are feeling invincible and risking their lives and others each time they get behind a wheel after a few drinks or being under the influence of some kind of drug, even prescription drugs.

It's not just a problem in Longview and Gregg County honestly, it's happening all over Texas. While creating the article about the fifty people who were booked into the Gregg County jail last week I just happened to notice the high amount of people who were arrested for driving while intoxicated. Out of the fifty that was booked into jail Friday afternoon to Sunday night, thirteen were booked in for driving while intoxicated.

For a few of these people, it was their first offense, but for others, it was their second, third and in some cases more than a third time for being arrested for driving while intoxicated.

What is being legally intoxicated in Texas?

In the State of Texas, you are considered legally intoxicated when your blood alcohol concentration reaches 0.08%, however, once the alcohol or drugs affect your ability to safely control your driving - or even boat or plane - you are considered intoxicated.

The penalties for being convicted of driving while intoxicated.

From the Texas Department of Transportation:

  • First offense
    Up to a $2,000 fine.
    Up to 180 days in jail upon conviction with three mandatory days.
    Loss of driver's license up to a year.
  • Second offense
    Up to a $4,000 fine.
    One month to a year in jail upon conviction.
    Loss of driver's license up to two years.
  • Third offense
    A $10,000 fine.
    Two to 10 years in prison.
    Loss of driver's license up to two years.

In addition, those convicted could face some state fine of up to $6000 upon sentencing.

Additional consequences for having a child passenger.

You will be charged with child endangerment if the child is under 15 if you're driving drunk and face an additional $10,000 fine. You could face up to two years of jail time and lose your driver's license for another 180 days.

Drunk driving is a choice and you can change lives instantly. If you're going out for a night of drinking arrange a designated driver or even better a ride-sharing service to get you home. Recently the state of Tennessee passed a new law making those responsible for killing parents in a drunk driving accident responsible for paying child support for their surviving children. This is something that I would like to see come to Texas and serve as another deterrent to drinking and driving.

The point of this is not to put these people on blast, but in a way it is, but to bring awareness to a problem that still exists and one that could have deadly consequences if a drunk driver is involved in a wreck. We can do better. We can make better choices. We can drink but not drive.

These 14 People Were Busted In Gregg County For Driving While Intoxicated

Driving while intoxicated is a problem in Gregg County and across Texas and these people were recently arrested for driving while intoxicated in Longview.

The Gregg County Jail Booked In 50 People Last Weekend

The Gregg County intake office and jailers were busy once again this past weekend.

Texas DMV Denies These Personalized License Plates

Vanity (or personalized) license plates on vehicles can be fun and whimsical. Some owners get very creative when it comes to the right combination of letters and numbers to get their message across in those precious seven characters or less. However, the State of Texas didn't approve the requests to have these personalized plates printed.

Tyler Police Department's Most Wanted

There were twelve fugitives on the list that we called the 'Dirty Dozen'. Since then, the list has dwindled down to eight, but we're sure it'll be back to a dozen soon. In the meantime, here are the eight most wanted criminals in Tyler. Each had active warrants as of July 09, 2021

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