Tarrant County is reminding citizens as they gear up for holiday celebrations that the county is No Refusal year-round.
Tarrant County Law enforcement leaders and Criminal District Attorney Sharen Wilson announced earlier this year that law enforcement is on the streets all day, year-round, cracking down on drunk driving.
Under the No Refusal rule, drivers pulled over for suspected impaired driving who refuse to take a routine breath test will be subject to a court-ordered blood test instead.
According to Kacey Fickes, a felony court team prosecutor and DWI expert for the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office, there is no reason for anyone to drive intoxicated at a time when there are so many rideshare options, such as Uber, Lyft or taxis.
"Additionally, everybody has a cell phone," Fickes said. "Call somebody. Call anybody. There's no excuse anymore. It's the most selfish crime out there."
A first offense of DWI is a Class B misdemeanor, which comes with a fine of as much as $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail.
