Anderson County plans No Refusal Weekend for Independence Holiday

"We’re not taking ‘no’ for an answer,” says Anderson County District Attorney Doug Lowe about requiring suspected DWI drivers to provide a breath or blood sample after they are arrested during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend.

This weekend the District Attorney’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol, Palestine Police Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the Frankston Police Department, are teaming with law enforcement agencies all over Texas in the first ever state-wide Independence Day No Refusal Campaign.

From Friday, July 1 to Monday, July 4 participating officers plan to take a mandatory blood sample or breath test for all drivers and motorboat operators who appear to be intoxicated or under the influence of any substance.  If the driver refuses, law enforcement will request a search warrant from a judge authorizing the taking of a blood sample from the driver. 

If the results show that the driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is above the legal limit of 0.08, the driver will be detained and may be charged with DWI.

The “No Refusal Weekend” follows a TXDOT (the Texas Department of Transportation) media blitz to make drivers aware of the increased DWI enforcement and to tell drivers that if they drink, get a designated driver.

“We’ve had a no refusal policy in Anderson County in effect for the last couple of years, and I believe it has made a real difference in our ability to prosecute DWI offenses,” said District Attorney Lowe.

“The difference with this weekend is that anywhere somebody drives or boats in Texas, they’re going to be required to give a breath or blood sample if the officer believes the person is intoxicated.  So, refusal to provide a sample is not an option,” Mr. Lowe added. 

Elected district attorneys and law enforcement officers believe the “No Refusal Weekend” will reduce the number of DWIs and alcohol related fatalities because drivers and boat operators have been warned of the campaign, and are expected to make their plans accordingly. 

The DWI No Refusal Program is geared towards reducing the number of DWIs and fatalities due to drunk driving.  There are thousands of deaths related to drunk driving yearly.  In 2008 alone, Texas had 1,463 people die from alcohol related crashes.