134 drunk driving arrests in Houston in 1 weekend

Tuesday, April 23, 2019
134 drunk driving arrests in Houston in 1 weekend
"We don't want you in the morgue, we don't want you in hospital and we certainly don't want you in jail," Chief Acevedo says.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- "It has been crazy, the number of DWIs that we've seen here in this region," said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

This Easter holiday weekend alone, Harris County saw 134 DWIs from midnight Friday to midnight Monday.

"We keep an eye on different events and we deploy extra troops to make sure we can get people off the road before they injure themselves or someone else," said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.

Someone who worked just as hard to get drunk drivers off the road unfortunately passed away over the weekend after battling cancer.

Jacqui Saburido was known as "the face of drunk driving." On Monday, TABC tweeted out their condolences and linked a website by TxDOT, which told her story.

Jacqui Saburido, face of anti-drunk driving campaigns, dies at 40

Famous face of anti-drinking campaign, Jacqui Saburido, dies at 40

The website has audio of a 911 call from that night, when 18-year-old Reggie Stephey, who had been drinking, crashed into the car Jacqui was riding in.

Saburido suffered 3rd degree burns when the car caught fire. She underwent dozens of surgeries.

"We have so many people that keep getting hurt and hit by drunk drivers," said Chief Acevedo.

Our local leaders said Harris County continues to be one of the most dangerous places in terms of roadways, but they will continue sweeping the streets and bringing awareness.

"We don't want you in the morgue, we don't want you in hospital and we certainly don't want you in jail," said the chief.

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