EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – During the holidays there will be an increase with the El Paso Police Department’s Traffic Unit thanks to a grant funded through the Texas Department of Transportation Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP).
Beginning December 23rd, 2022 through January 3rd, 2023 the El Paso Police Department will be ramping up traffic enforcement in El Paso County.
As a reminder, if you are going to drink, please be responsible. Let’s start this New Year off right by making sure we all get home safely to our loved ones.
The El Paso Police Department’s Traffic Unit and Safe Communities of the Special Services Division has issued its traffic focus of the month will be Driving While Intoxicated.
Texas Penal Code Sec. 49.04. Driving While Intoxicated.
(a) A person commits an offense if the person is intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle in a public place.
(b) Except as provided by Subsections
(c) and (d) and Section 49.09, an offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, with a minimum term of confinement of 72 hours.
(c) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this section that at the time of the offense the person operating the motor vehicle had an open container of alcohol in the person’s immediate possession, the offense is a Class B misdemeanor, with a minimum term of confinement of six days.
(d) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this section that an analysis of a specimen of the person’s blood, breath, or urine showed an alcohol concentration level of 0.15 or more at the time the analysis was performed, the offense is a Class A misdemeanor