El Paso County Sheriff’s Office raises awareness against driving while intoxicated

Posted: Aug 24, 2023 / 12:55 PM MDT

Updated: Aug 24, 2023 / 01:04 PM MDT

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, El Paso Police Department, Department of Public Safety, and TxDOT are all participating in programs and events to raise awareness of the consequences of driving while intoxicated.

Drunk drivers can still cause accidents, even with harsher penalties, according to Commander Ryan Urrutia.

“This year we had 236, and last year the totals were 397. So, it’s like that we are going to hit the same mark, but you know that the high number of arrests shows the great work that the men and women patrolling are doing,” Urrutia said.

While the punishment for DWI is strong, the split between male and female drivers is worth noting. Men have been the most frequent offenders; however, women are also being stopped.

“Increase insurance cost, certain charges, you’ll have to pay to have your driver license to the state of Texas. So, it’s not just being placed in jail, it’s the financial repercussions for the cost for the court.”

Urrutia says individuals caught driving while intoxicated range between 25 to 35, which are more common than those who are younger than 21.

“There’s plenty of options if you choose to drink, designated drivers, ridership programs such as Uber Lyft, you know those are available to them. The men have always stayed consistent on the stats,” said Urrutia.

According to the EPCSO reports, between Jan. 1 through June 30, 2023, a total of 236 men and woman were caught driving while intoxicated. During the beginning of the pandemic year in 2020, a total of 233 arrest were made.

2020