A New York mother is facing felony drunk driving charges after she was found driving drunk with her 2 year-old daughter in the car. Driving with a passenger younger than 16 years-old is a felony offense under Leandra’s Law. The law is named after an 11 year-old girl who was killed in 2009 when her friend’s mother drove them, while intoxicated, to a sleepover and crashed.

The woman was pulled over by police after she was seen swerving between the lanes, driving 15 mph in a 35 mph zone, and idled at a stop light for at least two cycles. She failed field sobriety tests and a breath test showed her blood alcohol level was 0.28, more than three times over the legal limit of 0.08.

If you or someone you love is facing felony DUI charges, contact the Houston DWI with a minor attorneys of Johnson, Johnson & Baer, P.C. by calling 713-222-0400.

An allegedly drunk driver in Houston is accused of striking and killed a pedestrian Tuesday.

According to Houston police, 49 year-old James John Onak struck and killed Fadel Steadman and kept going after the victim had crashed through the windshield and landed next to him in the passenger’s seat. Police say Steadman’s car broke down in the emergency lane around 12:30 a.m. and he was running back and forth across the freeway when he was struck.

Authorities say Onak did not realize what had happened until he was pulled over by police 10 minutes after the Houston drunk driving accident. Police say Onak claimed he was aware he hit something, but not that a body was lying beside him.

Investigators say toxicology results are expected in the next few days.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family and friends during this difficult time.

A man was arrested for DWI in Houston Saturday night after crashing into a METRO bus.

According to officials with the Houston Police Department, the accident occurred shortly after 11:00 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Scott Street and Dennis Street. Police say a METRO bus was traveling south on Scott when a car heading east on Dennis ran a stop sign. The car collided with the front of the bus in the intersection.

According to the accident report, there were about eight passengers on board the bus at the time of the crash. No one on the bus was injured in the accident. The driver of the car was checked by paramedics and arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated. The identity of the driver has not been released.

If you or someone you know is facing charges of drunk driving in Houston, please contact the Houston Drunk Driving Attorneys of Johnson Johnson & Baer, P.C., at 713-222-0400.

The trial of a Houston Police officer charged with driving while intoxicated began Tuesday morning.

Officer Ruben Trejo of the Houston Police Department was charged with DWI after a crash with a school bus in Houston last week. Police originally cited the school bus driver in the accident, but witnesses claimed Trejo ran a stop sign, causing the crash. The bus driver told police Trejo smelled of alcohol after the crash. A bottle of
wine was found in his squad car.

According to court documents, investigators claimed Tuesday morning that Trejo’s blood alcohol content was .176 at the time of the accident, more than twice the legal limit in Houston.

Trejo’s attorney, Paul Nugent, said he did not believe his client received special treatment from the police department. “We feel Sergeant Trejo was treated fairly and he was not on-duty at the time of the accident,” Nugent said.

Internal Affairs is now investigating the crash. Trejo has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

If you have been charged with a DWI or WUI in Houston, please contact the Houston Drunk Driving Lawyers of Johnson Johnson & Baer, P.C. by calling 713-222-0400.

A police officer in Houston who was injured in a crash with a school bus this month has been charged with DWI.

According to officials with the Houston Police Department, 46 year-old Sergeant Ruben Trejo was on his way to work on April 13 when he collided with a school bus in the 7900 block of Harrisburg shortly afer 2:15 p.m. in East Houston. At the time of the accident, a department spokesman said the bus driver ran a stop sign and caused the accident, but witnesses reported seeing the officer run a stop sign.

The bus driver told reporters she thought the Trejo had been drinking. “He smelled drunk and he had beer and wine opened in his car,” Teresa Argueta said.

Trejo was relieved of pay on Friday after an investigation led to DWI charges.

If you have been charged with drunk driving in Houston, please contact the Houston DWI Defense Attorneys of Johnson Johnson & Baer, P.C., by calling 713-222-0400.

A Houston police has been arrested Saturday on a charge of driving while intoxicated.

According to officials with the Houston Police Department, 33 year-old police officer Jarrod Johnson has been charged with first-offense DWI. Police say Johnson was off duty when he was arrested shortly before 2:00 a.m. Saturday along Interstate 45 near Dallas Street.

According to the arrest report, Johnson was driving his personal vehicle at the time. Investigators say the eight-year veteran police officer was stopped after officers observed him driving erratically and swerving between lanes.

Johnson was released from custody after posting $500 bond.

If you have been charged with DUI or DWI, please contact the Houston DWI Defense Lawyers of Johnson Johnson & Baer, P.C. by calling 713-222-0400.

A Houston man involved in a fatal car accident Sunday was arrested on drunken driving charges.

According to investigators with the Houston Police Department, 27 year-old Porfiro Curz Almendarez was charged with driving while intoxicated early Sunday morning. Police say Almendarez was driving a green Mazda 626 and turning south onto Campbell Road shortly after 2:00 a.m. when he allegedly failed to yield the right of way.

Almendarez allegedly pulled in front of a black Mitsubishi Lancer that was traveling east on Clay Road. The Mazda and the Mitsubishis collided in the intersection, authorities said.

The female driver of the Mitsubishi was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Her identity has not been released.

If you have been charged with drunk driving in Houston, please contact the Houston drunk driving attorneys of Johnson, Johnson & Baer P.C. at 713-222-0400.

A man in Montgomery County was sentenced to 99 years in prison after being convicted of driving while intoxicated for the 16th time.
According to Montgomery County prosecutors, 52 year-old James Steven Corley was pulled over for a broken taillight in August. He was arrested for felony DWI after a breathalyzer test showed his blood-alcohol content to be .10. The legal limit in Texas is .08.
“This defendant is an extremely dangerous driver,” Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Warren Dipramm said at the trial. “Practically every time he’s getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, according to the testimony, he is driving drunk. He testified that whenever he does it, he doesn’t think about anybody who is on the street with him. It’s all about him; all about getting drunk.”
Corley was sentenced as a habitual offender to 99 years in prison. He is eligible for parole in 10 years.
If you have been charged with drunk driving in Texas, please contact the Houston Drunk Driving Lawyers of Johnson Johnson & Baer, P.C., by calling 713-222-0400.

A House committee was urged by lawmakers Tuesday to repeal the Texas Driver Responsibility Program.

The goal of the Texas Driver Responsibilty Program was to stick people convicted of drunken driving with large surcharges, on top of regular fines and punishment. The revenue from the three-year-long surcharges was supposed to go to hospital trauma centers and highway projects.

Critics of the program told a House committee on Tuesday that it has failed to live up to the original goals of the Legislature. “This is a classic example of legislation that had incredible unintended consequences,” said Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth. “IT was an ill-conceived law and an example of bad tax policy.”

Opponents of the program cited a recent report from the Senate Criminal Justice Committee that found the program had actually decreased DWI conviction rates and increased dismissal rates since it was implemented in 2003. Thousands of drunken driving defendants have asked for a trial, in order to avoid the DWI surcharges, forcing prosecutors to accept plea bargains for lesser offenses such as reckless driving.

If you have been charged with DWI in Houston, please contact the Houston drunk driving lawyers of Johnson Johnson & Baer, P.C., by calling 713-222-0400.

Harris County has the most driving while intoxicated fatalities in the United States, and Houston Police say new “BAT” vans will prevent this statistic from lingering.

According to officials with the Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, new Blood Alcohol Testing vans will be dispatched in an effort to combat drunk driving. Called “BAT” vans, the new vehicles will be stationed around Houston in hopes of getting drunk drivers off the streets.

Deputies say the “BAT” vans will be stationary. When a patrol officer suspects a driver is intoxicated, the suspect will be taken to a van where they will be processed and given a breathalyzer test. Depending on the outcome of the breathalyzer test, a suspect will be put in the holding area at the back of the van.

If you have been charged with drunk driving in Harris County, please contact the Houston Drunk Driving Lawyers of Johnson, Johnson & Baer, P.C., by calling 713-222-0400.