A jury convicted Richard Robert Bryant of Driving While Intoxicated in less than half an hour on November 15, 2018 before he was sentenced to probation in an agreement with prosecutors. The prosecution came after the 44-year old Sugar Land man was arrested during an accident investigation by the Stafford Police Department in November 2015.
According to lead prosecutor Tristyl McInnis, Stafford Police Officer Cadena responded to a major accident on Highway 59 in Stafford around 3:40 am on November 8, 2015. After making contact with Bryant and the other parties involved in the accident, Officer Cadena noticed several indicators that Bryant might be intoxicated. The defendant admitted to drinking earlier in the evening and agreed to perform the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. The defendant’s poor performance during the evaluation resulted in his arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. Bryant also agreed to provide a breath sample. The result was a blood alcohol concentration of 0.149 – almost twice the legal limit in the state of Texas.
“This defendant’s attorney argued that the defendant had a concussion which caused the indicators of intoxication,” said McInnis, “but a concussion can’t explain the 0.14 alcohol content. He was intoxicated.”
Bryant was tried in County Court at Law No. 2 before Presiding Judge Jeffrey McMeans. Driving While Intoxicated in this case is a Class B Misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or a fine up to $2,000. Bryant was sentenced to 12 months’ probation, including a $500 fine, 60 hours of community service, a DWI education class, and attendance at a victim impact panel where offenders hear from DWI victims who survived to tell their story.
Assistant District Attorneys Tristyl McInnis and Drew Kwartler prosecuted the case.