Are felony DWI offenders getting away with murder?

The article below is from Houston, TX, KHOU channel 11's website. The story sounds all to familiar, and is actually what my family and I have been saying from the moment that we learned about Christopher Parker's extensive DWI/OUI arrest record. I've also mentioned that it seemed as if Parker knew how to work the system. It seems that each and every day repeat offenders are picked up for driving while intoxicated. Unfortunately those offenders do not go to jail each and everyday, but are allowed out on bail or probation...with promises of doing a couple of hours of community service. While this story below is based in Texas I thought it was very appropriate for our site.


Are felony DWI offenders getting away with murder?
11:57 AM CDT on Sunday, April 29, 2007
By Dave Fehling / 11 News

In the past two years, police in Harris County charged over 1,900 drivers with felony DWI, but some say chronic offenders have learned to work the system and never pay the price.

For example, an allegedly very drunk driver was accused last month of killing a mother and daughter in a horrific smash-up on the Eastex Freeway.

Police said he’d already had three previous DWI convictions.

“They’re not following through on penalties,” said Ruth Tijerina, who lost her daughter in a drunk driving crash in 2004.

Texas has the three strikes DWI law: The third arrest means a felony charge. Felony as in prison, loss of voting rights and public humiliation.

But when 11 News asked the county to provide us with records showing what really happens, what we discovered was disturbing.

In the past two years in Harris County alone, 492 of the more than 1,900 felony DWI cases were reduced to misdeameanor charges.

“At some point, they need to be locked away,” said John Bradley, the Williamson County D.A. known for its tough stance on DWI.

So why aren’t they?

“Your chronic DWI offender, the person who has two or more prior arrests for DWI, has completely learned how to work the system,” said Bradley.