APD Totals 73 DWI Arrests over July 4th Weekend

This Fourth of July weekend probably was not the best one to pass on a taxi.

In a span of four days the Austin Police Department's "No Refusal" initiative totaled 73 DWI arrests.

APD stated it was one of 213 law enforcement agencies participating in a larger statewide DWI “No Refusal” Initiative.

Under this initiative, officers can obtain blood search warrants on suspects who refuse to give a breath or blood sample as required by law. The initiative officially ran from July 1-4, 2011, from 9 pm-5 am each night (though technically still in effect from midnight to 5am, July 5).

The breakdown of the arrests by day: 27 on Friday, 13 on Saturday, 19 on Sunday and 14 on Monday, July 4.

As far as expanding "no refusal" weekends year-round (as San Antonio started this past year), Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo (pictured to the right) thinks that may be worth considering further down the road. He told the Statesman, "It's important to keep all our options open."

Also over the weekend, KVUE reported that an off-duty APD officer was arrested on Lake Travis Saturday for alleged boating while intoxicated (it gets better, read the whole thing). Let's just say there is a stolen golf cart and possible sandwich-making involved.