Former Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will face no further legal action after being booked in the Dallas County Jail last month on a charge of misdemeanor family violence with injury last month. That's according to Dewhurst's attorney, KRLD reports.
NBC 5's radio partners at KRLD reported Friday the Dallas County District Attorney's Office has declined to accept a domestic violence case against the former lieutenant governor.
The DA's office told KRLD they've taken no action on the case.
Dewhurst, 75, was arrested April 13 after Dallas police officers were called to a disturbance at the DoubleTree Hotel near Dallas Love Field Airport at about 5 p.m.
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An arrest record said Dewhurst was chasing a woman on a patio area near the hotel entrance when she fell and hit her head on a concrete bench. The record said Dewhurst was trying to retrieve a laptop computer from the woman.
The 41-year old woman told police the couple had been in an intimate, dating relationship for more than two years. NBC 5 withholds the names and pictures of domestic violence victims.
News reports show the same woman was arrested in Houston last year for assaulting Dewhurst. He suffered two broken ribs but the charges against her were later dropped.
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Public records show the couple share the same Houston driver's license address, but court records show the woman had a different home address after her Houston arrest.
Former Dallas County Chief Assistant District Attorney Heath Harris told NBC 5 last month that there are many Texas programs aimed at avoiding repeat family violence incidents.
"We want to make sure we get people the tools that they need to address their domestic discord before it escalates to more violence," Harris said. "Domestic violence cases are taken very seriously here in Dallas County. Police officers have a wide range of discretion in regards to whether or not they even file a case like this. I guarantee you the investigation will continue."
Dewhurst was booked in the Dallas County jail on a charge of misdemeanor family violence with injury. He was released on a $1,000 bond, according to jail records.
Harris said the charge carries a possible penalty of up to a year in jail but the former lieutenant governor is likely to avoid additional time in jail.
