Houston officer charged with DWI and evading arrest

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston police officer was relieved of duty after his arrest on DWI and evading arrest charges on Sunday.

The police department confirmed Claude Jackson's arrest.

According to HPD, Jackson has been with the department for less than a year. He was assigned to Southwest patrol.

According to court documents, Jackson had a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.15.

Sources tell Eyewitness News that Jackson led deputies on a chase that stretched from the West Beltway along the Katy Freeway, all the way to Barker Cypress. At times, speed topped out at 119 mph.

"Let me just say this, there is no justification. No justification. I do not tolerate DWI by my men and women. It is disheartening to me," said Houston police Chief Art Acevedo.

Jackson is due in court on Tuesday for his evading arrest charge.

He's expected to face a judge on Friday for the DWI charge.

We visited Jackson at his Katy area apartment. A man speaking through the door insists he wasn't Jackson.

Jackson's arrest marks the seventh time that a Houston area law enforcement officer was arrested since August.

However, his case is more serious because it also involves evading arrest charges.

"This is not a unique HPD challenge. Not a unique Harris County challenge. Not a unique law enforcement challenge," said Acevedo, acknowledging our area has one of the highest DWI rates in the country. "This is a societal challenge. The difference between us and society is we hold ourselves to a higher standard."