The Odessa Police Department (OPD) will work with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Ector County Independent School District (ECISD) Police Department, the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) Police Department, Medical Center Hospital's (MCH) KEY Program, and the Ector County District Attorney's (DA) Office to enforce a "no refusal" Labor Day weekend for Sept. 1-3, the city of Odessa’s Facebook page says.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) said 686 alcohol-related crashes took place in the Odessa District last year, with 66 of them fatal and 64 causing serious injuries. “During the no-refusal period, motorists arrested for driving while intoxicated and served with a search warrant will be required to submit to evidentiary blood draws, the city said in the Facebook post.
OPD and its campaign partners are urging the public to make alternate travel arrangements if they decide to drink during the holiday weekend. These could include picking a designated driver or taking a rideshare or taxi service. “Never let your friends drink and drive or ride with an intoxicated driver,” the city said.
A new law slated to go into effect on Sept. 1 requires motorists convicted of intoxication manslaughter to cover child support in cases where the victim is survived by young children, El Paso ABC affiliate KVIA Channel 7 reports.