SAN ANTONIO – Between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, 141 people were booked on DWI charges in Bexar County, according to data released by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.
The data is based on cases that have been filed at the Justice Intake & Assessment Annex.
The data shows that 139 people were booked on DWI charges during the same time frame for the 2021 holiday season and 146 people were booked during the 2020 holiday season.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jimmy Bustamante has worked in the traffic safety and DWI units for nearly 12 years and spoke with KSAT on Dec. 29 saying “I’ve seen fatalities. I’ve seen lots of drunks. I lost count. Once I hit over 1,000 DWIs, I stopped counting after that.”
Data from the Texas Department of Transportations shows Bexar County had 1,963 DWI crashes in 2021. Data for 2022 has not yet been released.
Bexar County officials have said New Year’s Eve and the following morning are the deadliest time of year for DWI crashes.
The cost of a DWI in Texas ranges from place to place but TXDOT reports that costs could potentially add up to $17,000 for a first-time offender.
“In Texas, a person is legally intoxicated and may be arrested and charged with DWI with a .08 BAC (blood or breath alcohol concentration). However, a person is also intoxicated if impaired due to alcohol or other drugs regardless of BAC,” the TXDOT website states.
TxDOT encourages everyone to visit SoberRides.org to learn the risks associated with drunk driving and to find tips for securing a sober ride home.