The Arlington Police Department made a major milestone in the quest to keep drunken drivers off the roads. Their DWI Enforcement Unit had the most “no refusal” DWI arrests in Tarrant County for Fiscal Year 2017.
“Texas leads the nation in alcohol-related fatalities,” officer David Hinson said.
Hinson has been a DWI officer with Arlington Police Department for eight years and had the most DWI arrests in Texas in 2014 and 2016.
He and his fellow DWI unit officers stay busy on the streets of Arlington, especially during the holiday season.
“I would say at any time at night they are quite a few impaired drivers on the road way,” Hinson said. “Typically, midnight to 2 a.m. is the time you see quite a few impaired drivers swerving on the road way and major accidents.”
A few nights before Thanksgiving the team responded to a suspected drunk driver who crashed into a home and then hid in nearby bushes.
“In the United States, every 50 minutes, someone is killed as either an intoxicated driver or by an intoxicated driver. That's 29 times per day,” Hinson said.
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Hinson reminds people to think before they drink during the holiday season and make sure they have made plans beforehand.
"It costs $17,000 for the average DWI. Uber or Lyft or cabs or taxi services can give you a ride for much cheaper,” Hinson said. “It's just not worth the criminal record or having to deal with the DWI process. It can be very complicated and very expensive over time."
The Arlington unity has eight members but they also work very closely with the traffic unit.
