230 DWI Arrests in Austin over Holidays

January 4, 2017

Austin police made 230 drunken driving arrests over 19 days this holiday season, compared with 229 arrests over 17 days last year, police officials said Tuesday.

Of the 230 people arrested from Dec. 15 to Monday, 82 consented to a breath alcohol test and 29 consented to a blood draw. Police had to get a warrant for a blood draw in 118 cases.

In Texas, police can legally obtain a warrant to test the blood-alcohol content of any suspected drunk driver who has also refused a breath test.

Of these recent DWI arrests in Austin, 32 people had a blood-alcohol content of over 0.15 (the legal limit is 0.08). Also, 39 of them had prior DWI convictions.

Additionally, three of the arrests this holiday season involved a person who was driving with a child in the car, Austin police said.