Crime Time

Randy Travis avoids jail time for Grayson County incident

Country singer Randy Travis was naked when he was arrested following a single-vehicle accident last August near Tioga, a city about 65 miles north of Fort Worth.

Authorities have said his blood-alcohol level was more than 0.15. The legal limit for driving is 0.08.

But on Thursday, Travis avoided jail time by pleading guilty to a charge that could have meant two years in confinement and a $4,000 fine.

Grayson County's top prosecutor praised the outcome.

"We feel it is appropriate in these circumstances," said Joe Brown, Grayson County district attorney. "I spoke at length with the officers involved, and they were in agreement with the outcome.

"We are all hopeful that Mr. Travis is on the road to recovery."

Mitch Mitchell covered the proceedings. Read his report here.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/01/31/4590929/randy-travis-pleads-guilty-to.html#storylink=cpy

 

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/01/31/4590929/randy-travis-pleads-guilty-to.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/01/31/4590929/randy-travis-pleads-guilty-to.html#storylink=cpy

Another Cowboy arrested for DWI -- this it's time Jay Ratliff

Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff was arrested early Tuesday morning on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after a collision involving a tractor-trailer rig on Texas 114 in Grapevine, police said.

Ratliff was released Tuesday on $500 bail on the misdemeanor offense, said Officer Sam Shemwell, a police spokesman.

Neither Ratliff nor the driver of the big rig was hurt, Shemwell said.

The responding officer gave Ratliff a field sobriety test “and formed the opinion he was intoxicated,” Shemwell said.

Ratliff refused an on-scene breath test, so officers subsequently obtained a warrant to draw a blood sample, Shemwell said.

Clarence E. Hill Jr., Carlos Mendez and Bill Miller have this report.

 

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/01/22/4567174/cowboys-ratliff-involved-in-car.html#storylink=cpy

Another Fort Worth cop accused of driving while intoxicated; officer was assigned to DWI enforcement

A Fort Worth police DWI officer was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Nicolas Ramirez is on restricted duty and reassigned him from the traffic division, where he had worked as a DWI enforcement officer since August.

“It is extremely troubling that one of our police officers, especially a DWI enforcement officer, has been arrested in this manner,” Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead said. “Our residents can be assured that this matter will be handled expeditiously and to their expectations.”

Last month, Halstead demoted Maj. Paul Henderson to captain and stripped him of his chief of staff position after Henderson was arrested in Parker County on suspicion of DWI.

Read more in Deanna Boyd's report.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/01/02/4519172/fort-worth-dwi-officer-arrested.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/01/02/4519172/fort-worth-dwi-officer-arrested.html#storylink=cpy

Washington state police chase ends in jail's parking lot

A high speed chase in Longview, Washington took an unexpected turn when the driver who eluded officers at speeds of more than 100 mph pulled into the parking lot of a local jail and smoked a cigarette before he surrendered.

TV news station KPTV reports that Craig Loven, 27, was spotted running a red light and swerving into oncoming traffic by an off-duty cop.

The officer followed Loven where he reportedly saw Loven driving over 100 mph, recklessly passing other cars on the shoulder and the median and running a stop sign.

An on-duty police officer joined in chasing Loven as he went through several more red lights and stop signs, occasionally driving in the oncoming lanes of traffic before he finally drove right into the parking lot of the Cowlitz County Jail, parked his car and got out.

Police said he then began to smoke a cigarette and surrendered without resisting arrest.

Loven, who was driving with a suspended license, had a previous charge of DUI. Now he faces another DUI charge as well as felony charges for eluding police.

-Chance Welch

Balch Springs woman charged with DWI after running over husband

A Balch Springs woman is facing a charge of driving while intoxication after she accidentally ran over her husband Tuesday.

Mary Jane Lane, 50, was driving on East Northwest Highway at about 4:51 p.m. with her husband in the passenger seat when she stopped at a red light and passed out behind the wheel, according to a Dallas police report.

Lane's husband went over to the driver side of the car and opened the door to help her when she regained consciousness and pressed the accelerator, the report stated.

The man, still hanging onto the driver's door, was dragged before he fell onto the road. Lane kept driving east on Northwest Highway without coming to his aid, police said.

Her husband was taken to Doctor's Hospital in Dallas with two broken legs and a head injury, according to the police report.

Lane was initially charged with intoxication assault but it was downgraded to one count of DWI, Dallas police spokeswoman Melinda Gutierrez said.

Lane is believed to have been under the influence of prescription medication, Gutierrez said.

She remains in custody at the Dallas County Jail. Bail has been set at $20,000, according to jail records.

-Chance Welch

DWI court hearing a party for New York man

Court hearings usually lack a party atmosphere but one New York man must have thought he could lighten things up.

NBC New York reports that Keith Gruber showed up to a court hearing for a felony drunk driving charge while he was drunk. Gruber was reported to be visibly drunk and carrying an open can of Busch beer with four more cans in a bag.

Sullivan County Judge Frank LaBuda, who had the pleasure of presiding over Gruber's case that day, asked him if he liked his "liquid lunch."

Gruber affirmed that he enjoyed his drinks and promptly apologized. LaBuda responded by sending him to jail with no bail.

This wasn't Gruber's first brush drunk driving charges. He has had prior DWI convictions before, according to the report.

-Chance Welch

18th time is the charm for Ohio drunk driving suspect

An Ohio man is being investigated for his 18th drunk driving offense after he was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash.

TV news station WTOL reports that Spencer Blatnick, 61, was arrested Wednesday night after driving a motorycle into the back of a car.

Blatnick, who was not wearing a helmet at the time, was thrown from the motorcycle into a ditch, according to the report. He suffered serious head and leg injuries in the crash.

The driver of the car was not injured.

While he was at the hospital after the crash, Blatnik refused a blood alcohol test.

Police obtained a warrant citing that he has had 17 drunk driving offenses and 13 license suspensions in the past.

-Chance Welch

San Antonio police officer, suspected drunk driver killed in wrong-way crash

A San Antonio police officer and a suspected drunk driver were killed in a wrong-way crash near downtown San Antonio Tuesday morning.

TV news station KSAT reports that Stephanie Brown was responding to a call when an SUV driven by an unidentified man in his 20's slammed into her patrol car head-on.

Brown was taken a nearby hospital where she later died and the driver of the SUV died at the scene.

A police report allegedly shows that the SUV did not have its headlights on a receipt from a bar dated Monday night was found in SUV driver's pocket.

Brown was a three-year veteran with the San Antonio Police Department at the time of her death.

-Chance Welch

Tow driver hits mom, kids in crosswalk, drags children quarter mile

A tow truck driver in Oxnard, Calif., has been arrested after police said he struck a 19-year-old mother in a crosswalk and dragged her two small children and their stroller for a quarter mile under his vehicle.

The woman received moderate injuries, but the children were critically injured, police said.

The driver, Mehran Khamseh, 45, of Santa Barbara, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, the Ventura County Star reported.

-- Lance Murray

Plea deal: Arlington man might get 10 years

A 25-year-old Arlington man, who was on probation for a 2007 crash that killed one teen and seriously injured another, acknowledged Thursday that he violated his probation in March when he was arrested for possessing methamphetamine.

Adam Michael Parks (left) also agreed to accept a 10-year prison term and other penalties. Formal sentencing was delayed until next week so that Parks' mother could attend.

Parks said he didn't want to put everyone through another hearing, which pleased the mother of one of his victims in the 2007 wreck, 17-year-old Nicholas Cullens.

"I feel like my son can rest in peace," said Tiffani Covais, "and I can rest in peace knowing that [Parks] got what he deserved."

Martha Deller reports.

-- Bill Miller