WCMessenger.com: Police will make drinkers an offer they can't refuse

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Police will make drinkers an offer they can't refuse

By Staff | Published Thursday, July 2, 2009

County Attorney James Stainton, along with law enforcement agencies across Wise County and volunteers from both Wise Regional Health System and Doctors' Hospital, are instituting the first "no refusal" weekend over the July 4 holiday to crack down on drunk driving.

On July 3-5, anyone arrested for driving while intoxicated who refuses to provide breath or blood will have a warrant requested for a blood specimen to determine blood alcohol content.

County Court at Law Judge Melton Cude will be at the Wise County Jail to handle any warrant requests, and volunteers from Wise Regional Health System and Doctors' Hospital will be at the jail to draw blood.

"We could not have this type of program without the support of our law enforcement and the combined effort from our local hospital staffs," Stainton said.

In Stainton's first six months of his term, he has reported that 160 new DWI cases have been filed and that many of the cases that had breath test results were well over the 0.08 legal limit.

"I believe DWI is 100 percent preventable," Stainton said. "You can have a good time over (the July 4 weekend), but if you have been drinking, don't drive a car or operate a watercraft."

Driving while intoxicated is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by no more than 180 days in prison and a fine not to exceed $2,000.