05/30/2008
Holiday weekend DWI crackdown nets 53
By Jamie Nash
Courier staff


Montgomery County law enforcement agencies kept their promise to crack down on drunk drivers during Memorial Day weekend, arresting 51 people for driving while intoxicated and two others for boating while intoxicated.

According to data from the Montgomery County Jail roster, the arrests included nine offenders charged with their third or more driving while intoxicated arrest, and it was the second arrest for nine others, including one with a suspended license.

Four of those arrested were charged with driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years old in the vehicle. Six were unable to prove they were American citizens, and a hold was placed on them by the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A first-time DWI is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. A second DWI is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000. A third or more DWI is a third-degree felony, punishable by a term of two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years old is a state jail felony, punishable by 180 days to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

Montgomery County District Attorney Michael McDougal said he was “pretty happyâ€