Debate renewed over work detail sentences for DWI offenders

The blood-alcohol level of a man who crashed a van early Tuesday, killing the 2-year-old son of his cousin, was more than three times the legal limit, police officials said.

Tests revealed that Miguel Limon Jr.'s blood-alcohol level was 0.26 when he plowed a 1996 GMC Safari into a concrete wall along the northbound Interstate 35W service road at Ripy Street. The crash killed Esteban Estrada and injured the boy's younger brother and mother.

The fatal wreck came just 12 days after Limon, 25, (right) pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and was sentenced to 15 days in jail. In lieu of jail.

The death of the child is renewing debate over the sentencing of first-time DWI offenders to labor detail.

"I would hope," said one official from the Tarrant County district attorney's office, "(that judges) would find that it is not in the interest of justice to continue to use labor detail for DWI offenders."

Staff Writer Deanna Boyd reports.

Comments

[Brad]

As a police officer i am telling you that most of the DWI offenders are repeat offenders. Most probably have an alcohol problem. Statistics show that the average DWI offender commits the offense 80 times in one year. The chances of getting caught are slim to none. The Tarrant County DA's office needs to stop plea bargaining these cases and star giving these people jail time. I don't care if they have to come in on their days off on Friday and leave Sunday night. An impact needs to be made. This crime is considered to be a victimless crime, i disagree totally. Every one of these DWI's are potential killers. No one approaches it this way though. All that is going on is some defense lawyer is getting $10,000 and the defendants are walking free. Where is the punishment? Make these knuckleheads go and pickup dead bodies from where a drunk driver killed someone. We are living in a society where everyone is functioning on a do as they please without repurcussions.

[Mark]

Brad, those statistics are shocking. I have heard that a lot of DWI's are repeats. Limon's crash came 12 days after he pleaded guilty to another DWI charge. It's sad that so many people each year lose their life because people don't have the foresight or intelligence to not drive after drinking. I have followed an "alleged" drunk driver through Fort Worth and into Arlington while on the phone with 9-1-1. He hit a guardrail on east loop 820 and was going approximately 30 miles per hour on the highway. Enforcement by patrols does little good if the judges and DA's won't crack down on drunk drivers.

[Voltolio (DUI Implications)]

For those concerned about insurance, aside from license suspension after a DUI, probably one of the first notices received is that auto insurance has just been cancelled. After a DUI conviction, many States will require what’s called an SR-22. To alleviate confusion, the SR-22 in itself is not auto insurance. It is simply a form that notifies the state that a driver has the required insurance coverage (or “financial responsibility”). Many insurance companies will still insure a driver after a DUI although it may not be from the original carrier. If the SR-22 file lapses, a license can be suspended again.
http://www.drivingafterdui.com has more on this.