The Dallas County district attorney's office has launched a unit dedicated to prosecuting crimes involving drunk drivers. The "vehicular crimes unit" focuses on prosecution of intoxication assault and intoxication manslaughter cases.
District Attorney John Creuzot said Dallas County had 352 fatalities on its roads last year. He said 97 people died in crashes in which at least one person had been drinking.
TxDOT said there were 15,558 crashes caused by someone under the influence of alcohol across the state in 2021. The agency said there were 358 fatal crashes caused by drunk drivers in rural areas and 304 fatal crashes in urban areas.
Creuzot said Dallas County had the highest fatal crash rate in the state.
"These cases have become much more complicated than when I was a young man in the 80s trying them," he said.
Creuzot said the vehicular crimes unit has started to buy drones to map crime scenes, equipment to download crash data retrieval information from cars involved, and his office now has prosecutors available 24/7 to respond to crash scenes.
"At the moment the crash happens, we'll be contacted by law enforcement and respond to the scene as needed to assist you all in enforcement with any legal matters that arise during a crash investigation," he told police at a recent event.
Creuzot said the unit's prosecutors secured a life sentence in their first case.
"Let me say publicly -- if you drink and drive and hurt someone, we will make sure you are held accountable," he said.
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