The story says this was the first weekend of no refusal blood draws in San Marcos. A man is detained for suspicion of DWI and the judge refuses to sign a warrant for a blood draw because the man is a friend of his, he is aware of his alcohol problem and they were “out” together earlier that night. So the officers simply give the man a ride home. The officers state they thought they had probable cause for an arrest. The driver smelled of alcohol, was swaying, slurred speech, refused a sobriety test (his right, BTW) and became confused while undergoing the eye exam. Chief Williams says there is no “controversy here”. Just how were DWI arrests made prior to this weekend?
I dare say that if I, or any other citizen, backed into a stopped car, smelled of alcohol, swayed, slurred our speech, refused sobriety tests, and couldn’t follow instructions on eye tests that we may have been given a ride but it most surely would not have been a ride home. At least I know who I need to invite to go along if I go out drinking in San Marcos. We can be thankful he backed into a stopped car and not a pedestrian crossing the road.
Ed Mears
Mountain City
