Parker County Criminal Defense Blog

Fatal Crash in Westlake

A man is dead after he rammed his car under an eighteen-wheeler. Police say that 29-year-old Richard Rivas, of Grapevine, ran a red light at the intersection of State Highway 170 and U.S. Highway 377. As a result, he slid underneath the trailer of a large UPS truck. The combinat...

What on Earth is the Graves Amendment?

Politicians love attaching policy riders as "amendments" to must-pass spending bill and other such legislation. Typically, these addendums have very little effect on the public at large. But 49 U.S.C. 3106 is a major exception to this rule. In Texas, noncommercial owners who neg...

Can You Walk a Straight Line?

| May 23, 2019 |

Almost literally from beginning to end, the Walk and Turn test is designed to support DWI arrests, whether the test subjects are intoxicated or not. Much like the OLS, the WAT, which is also known as the HTW (heel to toe walk) or the "walking a straight line" test, is a divided ...

Explaining the One Leg Stand Test

| May 21, 2019 |

In many ways, the OLS is the classic DWI field sobriety test. This divided attention test measures both mental acuity and physical dexterity. Usually, people who are intoxicated cannot walk and chew gum at the same time in this way. That's why alcohol is such as dangerous driving...

What is the HGN Test?

| May 17, 2019 |

Most people have undergone a Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test at one time or another. Doctors use it to look for signs of neurological problems. Usually, the test administrator instructs the subject to follow a moving point, such as a fingertip, just by moving their eyes. If the pu...

Breaking Down a Dog Bite Claim

Animal attack injuries are one of the most common homeowners' insurance claims in Texas. Furthermore, since medical and psychological knowledge has increased in this area, the average claim amount has skyrocketed 75 percent since 2003. When a large breed dog, like a pitbull, att...