Interviewer: Today we’re going to talk about DWI, driving while intoxicated. So, would you say, is there a typical person that gets arrested for DWI, or is it kind of run across all walks of life?
Gary: You know, I think it runs all across, all walks of life. I agree with the saying, bad things happen to good people, and that’s what happens with DWIs. Somebody goes out and in my time as a criminal defense attorney, I’ve represented the gamut of all aspects of society when it comes to DWIs. From decorated Army veteran officers to nurses, to doctors; so, it could happen to anybody.
Interviewer: Do you hear a typical back story from clients that come into your office on why they were arrested?
Gary: In San Antonio the police profile. If you’re on the street after midnight you stand a really good chance of getting a DWI. At that time of night, the police officers are just cruising looking for a reason to stop someone. They’ve gotten to the point now where they just actually sit outside the bars and wait for the cars to leave the parking lot and enter the roadway.
The current climate is all about enforcement right now and they’re doing anything they can to get people driving DWI.
Interviewer: The large majority of police stops takes place mostly at night and is it people leaving bars or is other circumstances?
Gary: Most of the time people are leaving bars, or people are pulled over in areas where a number of bars are located. There’s really no set formula for when a DWI is going to occur, where it’s going to occur, it’s just a matter of where the officer is at the right time for him or her at the wrong place for my client.
DWI and Cage Discrimination: Because the Intoxication Thresholds Are Low, Almost Anyone Is Subject to a DWI
Interviewer: Is there any particular type of person that receives a DWI, for example, do you encounter more men or women, older, younger individuals?
Gary: In my experience, there’s no age discrimination when it comes to DWI. Basically anybody who’s out there driving and having a cocktail or two after work or whatever, stands a chance of getting pulled over for DWI. The thresholds right now are so low that having only a couple of drinks after work and getting pulled over at the wrong time will result in a DWI case.
Interviewer: When people come to see you, what are the top misconceptions they have about the whole process and their arrest?
Gary: I think the main one is that people are concerned about how a DWI is going to affect the rest of their life. What ramifications are going to be involved if they have a DWI conviction? Will they be able to drive? Will they lose their job? Among different clients I do encounter different questions but the most common is what happens to their everyday life following a DWI.
