It has been announced that a Department of Public Safety campaign titled 'Drink. Drive. Go to Jail' will be putting all available troopers on duty looking for traffic violations and suspected drunk driving. Many county sheriff's offices and local police departments have also put into place plans to crack down on driving while intoxicated in Texas. Austin police will be implementing another 'no refusal' initiative where they will seek a warrant for a blood sample in order to check the blood-alcohol content of those who refuse to submit to a breath test. Saturation patrols will target areas that statistically have high incidents of drunk driving in Texas. Lake and river patrols will target those boating while intoxicated.

During similar efforts over the 2008 Labor Day weekend, the DPS alone arrested 623 motorists for DWI in Texas. They also issued more than 10,000 speeding tickets and approximately 2,500 citations for seat belt violations.

A conviction for a DWI in Texas could result in jail sentence up to six months, a $2000 fine, significantly higher auto insurance rates and a permanent mark on a person's driving and criminal records. In a separate action, the DPS will seek to suspend a motorist's driver's license after an arrest for DWI and then impose a $1000 surcharge each year for three years for the privilege of renewing a license.

Whereas drunk driving is never condoned, there are several things to consider when drinking responsibly this weekend. First, have a plan to get home and designate a safe driver if there is even the remote possibility of consuming too much alcohol. If stopped for suspicion of driving under the influence, remember that you still have legal rights. You can refuse a breath or blood test, you have the right to remain silent and you can request the presence of an attorney. It must be noted that law enforcement officers have initiated arrests for DWI based on the mere presence of alcohol. You can register blood-alcohol content below the legal limit of .08% and still be arrested for suspicion of impairment. Finally, for all of the good intentions of law enforcement to keep the roadways safe, sometimes mistakes are made. Poor balance could be construed as inebriation during a field sobriety test. Breath tests may not be properly administered according to strict guidelines or the equipment may not be properly calibrated. An experienced DWI attorney in Texas will understand how to build the best defense for the specifics of your case.

Act responsibly during the Labor Day weekend, but if arrested for suspicion of DWI, immediately contact a qualified and experienced drunk driving defense attorney to ensure your rights are protected and that you receive the best possible outcome.

Currently Austin City Council is discussing an ordinance that would mandate drivers give cyclists a three foot buffer when passing them to avoid accidents like these. Though in this case the driver was arrested for driving while intoxicated, many cyclists here in the Austin area complain that they risk their life when they ride their bikes at any time.

The club has opened under new ownership, and they have stressed that changes have been made. There have been new staff hires and employees have undergone extensive training to identify intoxicated patrons and to help keep people from getting out of control. During the opening week, management has arranged for a $15 round trip shuttle between the club and two remote parking areas far north Austin to try to help patrons avoid getting arrested for DWI in Austin. The owners may extend the shuttle service if the reception is positive.

Jones, 38, was written out of the TV series during its second season, presumably over wage issues.

As a DWI attorney, I can see that the police aren't giving public officials and celebrities any special treatment when they are stopped and expected of drinking and driving.

Senior wide receiver James McDonald was charged with drunk driving July 9th and later dismissed from the team. The initial traffic stop was made at 2:30 am for having expired vehicle registration. McDonald reportedly registered a blood-alcohol content of .096%. The legal limit for intoxication in Pennsylvania is .08%. McDonald appeared 10 games last season. While he played sparingly in the past, his absence could be an issue this year as Penn State lost three multi-year starting wide receivers at the end of last season.

Another Nittany Lion, offensive lineman Ako Poti, was charged with drunk driving after being stopped by State College Police. He was charged with drunk driving with a high rate of alcohol, which according to local drunk driving laws means a blood-alcohol content between .10-.16%. Poti's status with the team has not been released. He is a fifth year senior who was recruited from a junior college in 2007 to add depth to the offensive line. Poti appeared in four games last year and was expected to be a reserve at tackle.

The University of Texas has had it's own DWI arrest in the athletic department this year when UT baseball coach Augie Garrido was recently arrested for DWI in Austin and later plead guilty.

Garrido was stopped around 1:00 am on January 17th for driving without headlights. After performing a field sobriety test, he admitted to having consumed five glasses of wine and to being intoxicated. He was arrested and booked on charges of driving while intoxicated in Texas. Garrido issued a public apology for the arrest, calling his actions a "serious mistake". He was suspended by the UT athletic department for the first four baseball games of the 2009 season.

Garrido will receive two days credit for time served and Travis County jail officials will decide how the balance of the sentence will be carried out. Garrido was also fined $500 and his driver's license was suspended for 90 days. As an Austin DWI lawyer, some may question the extent of the penalties, especially with an admission of intoxication on the part of the defendant, they are in keeping with a first offense DWI. Coach Garrido received no special favors for his notoriety or stature in the community.

Prosecutors were seeking a five day jail sentence for Garrido but said they "understand and respect" the decision of Travis County Judge Elisabeth Earle.

Related article: Augie Garrido to be sentenced later this summer for his Austin DWI arrest

Taurasi was stopped around 2:30 am for speeding and drifting outside of her traffic lane. She admitted to having had "a few" drinks at a club. She has entered a plea of not guilty to DUI, and is scheduled to appear in court again on July 22nd.

Montford attempted to advise her friend of his rights though the officer ordered to her back to the car. She had been sitting in the car for 20 minutes when police said they were going to charge her and another passenger with public intoxication. The dashboard camera indicates that the officer did not perform any tests or investigate Montford for intoxication.

Lange was one of the original cast members of the comedy television show MADtv. He replaced Jackie Martling on the Howard Stern Show, and has been known to talk about his challenges with drug abuse on the show. Many of his stories were compiled in his best-selling book 'Too Fat to Fish'.