HOUSTON — Several law enforcement agencies across the Houston area partnered together and went full force into catching those celebrating irresponsibility over the New Year's holiday weekend. That led to hundreds of arrests.
District Attorney Kim Ogg said there were a total of 213 DWI arrests across Harris County. More than 100 of them happened in Houston, according to Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.
There were multiple DWI command centers set up over the weekend so law enforcement officers could get drunk drivers off the road as soon as possible.
"Gave officers the ability to get their suspects in, get their blood tested, and be back out on the street faster," said Ogg.
Finner said his department received hundreds of calls for people shooting guns into the air on New Year's Day. Seven people were caught and arrested.
"You're firing a gun into an air and a bullet has to land somewhere," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers. "It's just absolutely a sickening feeling when you have to talk to a family who just lost a loved one because someone was, quote, shooting a gun up in the air to celebrate the harboring of a new year."
Kahan said getting the word out for people to report celebratory gunfire has been key to catching suspects and saving lives this holiday.
"If you looked at what the ramifications are when you do this and you saw what can happen to families, perhaps then maybe you'd say, you know what, this isn't the brightest idea in the world," Kahan said.
According to Finner, three people reported being hit by stray bullets, but fortunately, their injuries were not life-threatening.
Troubling numbers
"Harris County time and time again leads the nation in DWI-related deaths,” Finner said during a news conference ahead of the weekend.
- According to Finner, there had been over 5,100 DWI arrests this year in the City of Houston.
- Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said there had been 1,500 DWI arrests in Harris County at the time of the news conference last Thursday.
- Ogg said more than 11,800 DWI charges had been filed in 2023, 44 of those filed as intoxication manslaughter.