DWI Charges in Houston Don’t Always Mean Conviction: A Case I Defended and Won

Imagine being pulled over on an ordinary Friday night and suddenly realizing your entire future could be at risk because of a DWI arrest. Here in Houston, the Houston Police Department makes more than 5,500 DWI arrests every year. But I remind every client who walks into my office of one important truth: an arrest is not a conviction.

I’m Joseph Reese, a criminal defense attorney at Joseph Ruiz Law, and I want to walk you through a real DWI case I personally handled. On paper, this case looked like a guaranteed loss. In reality, it ended in a complete dismissal because we focused on what truly mattered under Texas law.

A Commercial Driver Facing the Loss of His Livelihood

In this case, my client was a 25-year commercial truck driver. He was pulled over after an anonymous caller reported that he was “all over the road” and possibly intoxicated. After the stop, he performed poorly on field sobriety tests and agreed to a blood draw, which showed a BAC of 0.217—nearly three times the legal limit.

For many people, that kind of evidence would feel overwhelming. For a commercial driver, the consequences are even more severe. A DWI conviction would have resulted in a one-year suspension of his CDL, effectively ending his career. This is exactly why I take an aggressive and strategic approach when defending DWI cases in Houston, especially when a client’s livelihood is on the line.

Why This DWI Defense Wasn’t About Intoxication

In most DWI cases, the primary issue is whether the driver was legally intoxicated. In this situation, based on the video evidence and the blood results, I knew that the argument was unlikely to succeed.

Instead, I focused our entire defense on a different question: Was the traffic stop itself legal?

Under the Fourth Amendment, police officers must have reasonable suspicion before stopping a vehicle. If that constitutional requirement is not met, any evidence collected afterward may be suppressed as fruit of the poisonous tree. That legal principle became the foundation of our defense.

Challenging an Illegal Traffic Stop

The stop in this case was initiated solely because of an anonymous tip. The caller never provided a name or contact information. When officers located my client, they claimed he briefly touched the lane line twice. There were no other vehicles nearby, and no additional signs of unsafe driving.

Based on those facts, I filed a motion to suppress all evidence, arguing that the anonymous tip could not legally justify the stop and that the officer’s observations did not rise to the level of reasonable suspicion required under Texas law.

The court agreed. The judge ruled that my client’s Fourth Amendment rights had been violated and that the traffic stop was illegal.

Evidence Suppressed and Charges Dismissed

Because the stop was unconstitutional, all evidence gathered after the stop—including the blood test results—was excluded. Without admissible evidence, the State could not proceed with the case.

The result was a complete dismissal of the DWI charge. My client kept his CDL, protected his livelihood, and avoided life-changing consequences. This case is a perfect example of why I carefully examine every detail in a DWI arrest and why a case that looks unwinnable at first glance may not be hopeless at all.

Why You Should Never Assume a DWI Case Is Over

I often meet people who feel defeated after a DWI arrest, especially when the evidence appears strong. Some hesitate to invest in their defense or assume the outcome is already decided. That assumption can be a costly mistake.

At Joseph Ruiz Law, I routinely challenge illegal traffic stops, improper police procedures, and constitutional violations. Many DWI cases can be dismissed when the law is properly applied, and every angle is explored.

If you or someone you care about is facing DWI charges, I encourage you to speak with an attorney who understands Texas DWI law and knows how to fight back. You can learn more about how I approach these cases by reviewing additional insights on my criminal defense blog.