Dozens arrested on felony drunken driving charges in Galveston County in May

Police arrested 31 people on felony driving while intoxicated charges in Galveston County throughout May 2019, according to records from a public information request filed by the Chronicle.

Of the 31 felony cases in April, eight people were charged with DWI with a child passenger. Drivers that are charged with DWI with a child passenger can face fines up to $10,000, up to two years in prison and loss of their drivers license for 180 days, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT.)

In Texas, a person is charged with DWI if their blood or breath alcohol concentration (BAC) is .08 or higher, according to TxDOT.

Driving while intoxicated in Texas is usually considered a misdemeanor on the first two offenses. A person’s third DWI offense results in a felony charge. Drivers charged with a third DWI charge face up to $10,000 in fines, between two to 10 years in prison and can have their license suspended. Drivers can also face an annual fee up to $2,000 for three years to retain their license, according to TxDOT.