Montgomery Co. to Tweet Names of DWI Offenders

HOUSTON -  

A drunk-driving arrest can costs thousands of dollars and maybe your job, but in one local county it could cost you public embarrassment, too.

The Montgomery County District Attorney has an active Twitter site, and he says he'll be "Twittering" names and arrest information of DWI suspects.

“There is definitely a deterrent effect in the potential public humiliation people may face when they get arrested for DWI," said Warren Diepraam, an assistant district attorney.

This is part of a widespread crackdown on drunk driving over the Christmas and New Year's Day holiday period. But not everyone thinks the new program is fair.

Tyler Flood is one of Houston’s top DWI defense attorneys and thinks only the names of those convicted should be posted.

“Here is another form of punishment, if you are arrested for DWI, the problem is it's a punishment. That is something that comes after a conviction, not before," said Flood.

It's also a "no refusal" period between Dec. 18 and Jan. 3, 2010, which means peace officers can get a court order to take blood samples of DWI suspects who refuse a breathalyzer test.

Some agencies also use an infra-red camera, known as a "hawkeye," to record a suspect's eyes during a field sobriety test.

“What everybody needs to understand is that when you get arrested by a police officer, that can be in the public domain for rest of life even if you're not convicted and people need to think about that before they make a poor decision," said Diepraam.

Many agencies will have extra officers on the street though grant programs designated to crack down on drunk driving. Agencies use the extra money to pay overtime for officers.
 

-- Follow the Twitter Account: http://twitter.com/#search?q=MONTGOMERYTXDAO
--Track DWI Case Results: http://www.tylerflood.com/