By Antonio Perez

DRUNK DRIVING,
IS NOT AN
ACCIDENT.
EL PASO, TEXAS, During the past decade our community has seen an increase in
drunk driving cases. According to the El Paso District Attorney Office Manslaughter
cases in our region have almost doubled (http://www.co.el-paso.tx.us/DA/). Are the
consequences people facing manslaughter charges harsh enough or should stricter
laws be implemented. In this article, I will be introducing my opinion about the
consequences of drunk driving and the consequences victims and their families face.
During that same decade, the City of El Paso has implemented programs such as the
El Paso Safe Road. The purpose of the year round campaign is to implement a No
Refusal program permanently. If a driver is suspected of being intoxicated, and refuses
a breath-alcohol test, officers will attain a warrant from a judge and a blood sample will
be drawn by a nurse
The El Paso has also implemented programs such as the Free Ride program in
collaboration with Sun City Cab Company. Sun City will give free rides home to any
person who thinks he/ she might have had to much to drink. Individuals can contact Sun
City Cab at (915) 544-2211.

The No Refusal program is a great way of deterring intoxicated men and woman from
drunk driving but is it enough? Should stricter laws be implemented against drunk
driving? At times, drunk driving cases can take years to get to the sentencing stage.
The number of dockets State Judges serve per day are not enough to fasten the
process.
During the sentencing period drunk drivers awaiting sentencing can earn credit for the
time served while his or her case is pending. The maximum jail time a drunk driver
might face in the State of Texas is 20 years, while most get a maximum of 5 years (with
earned credit) depending on their personal record.

Antonio Escalante a local El Paso boxer was recently charged with his 4 th DUI of the
year, this according to El Paso Police Department. According to the police affidavit,
police received several calls about a possible drunk driver in a gray Pontiac vehicle in
the 10700 block of Gateway North at 4:34 p.m. Wednesday. By the time police arrived
at the location, the Pontiac was gone but soon returned to the location, which was a
Howdy's. Officers found Escalanate in the drivers seat unconscious with an open bottle
of Michelob AmberBock, several empty beer bottles on the passenger seat and several
more on the floorboard, according to the affidavit.Police say Escalante had very slurred
speech and detected a very strong odor of alcohol from his breath. Police also said he
appeared to have urinated on himself, had red, glassy, bloodshot eyes and had trouble
standing, according to the affidavit. Based on the witness placing Escalante behind the
vehicle while it was being driven, the DWI roadside tests, and officer's observations
Esclante was charged with DWI. Escalante refused to give a voluntary blood sample.
(http://www.kvia.com/news/el-paso-boxer-antonio-escalante-arrested-for-4th-dwi-thisyear/30062554)
In my opinion the City of El Paso is providing more than enough services for its citizens
to take advantage of and avoid a driving while intoxicated charges or possibly even
manslaughter. It is the individuals responsibility to take charge of their actions and take
advantage of such services or pay the consequences.

It is also my opinion that an individual facing a sentencing stage for having caused a
taken the life of an innocent bystander, should face harsher punishment. The
individuals record should not matter; a lost life is a life lost forever.

You can contact Antonio Perez

APerez91@miners.utep.edu