‘No Refusal’ weekend here in Austin, Texas this past Labor Day weekend resulted in the arrest of 94 people for Driving Under the Influence(DUI) of alcohol. Austin police were out in force as part of the national campaign led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Early reports state that of the 94 people arrested, 61 had their blood drawn and 33 submitted breath samples. Only eleven people consented to having their blood drawn during the no refusal crackdown while 11 blood samples were mandatory.
Local authorities have said that 53% of those arrested refused to submit a blood or breath sample and that a whopping 65% of all breath samples were .15% or higher, which is almost double the states legal limit of .08%. Police also say that one minor was arrested for DUI. Those found with a BAC level of .15% or higher were charged with a Class A Misdemeanor and could face up to one year in jail as well as a fine of $4,000. During the No Refusal weekend, drivers who refuse to submit a blood test will have their blood drawn anyway, since Texas drivers technically give their “implied consent” to these tests upon receiving their driver’s license. This no refusal policy has been used by authorities during Labor Day weekend primarily because of the holiday’s high rate of crashes involving alcohol abuse.
If you or someone you know has been arrested for driving drunk, contact a skilled Texas DWI attorney for legal assistance.
