40 DWI Arrests Made In Austin Over Memorial Day Weekend

AUSTIN, TX — Austin police made 40 DWI arrests over the Memorial Day Weekend after concluding its no refusal initiative on Tuesday.

Of the 40 arrests made, 19 were blood search warrants, 17 were consent breath samples and four were consent blood samples, Austin Police Department officials said Thursday.

About eight arrests made had consent breath samples over .15, about five arrests had a Class A misdemeanor DWI with prior convictions, five arrests had felony DWI charges with two or more prior convictions and two arrests had felony DWI charges with a child passenger.

None were arrested for intoxicated assault or intoxication manslaughter, authorities said.

The department's 2021 Memorial Day Weekend No Refusal initiative kick started Thursday and ended Tuesday. Law officers roamed the streets in popular traffic areas between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night.

Officials said the initiative was an effort to enforce DWI laws, keep the public safe by encouraging drivers to make responsible decisions, and to apply for blood search warrants on suspects who refuse to provide a breath or blood specimen as required by law.

"The Austin Police Department, and the City of Austin Transportation Department are continuously focused on preventing lives from being lost on the streets, highways and waterways of Austin," officials said Thursday. "The Department is dedicated to making the roadways and waterways of Austin safe for residents and visitors through education and enforcement."