| Inmate name: | Karen Jaye Michalec |
| Charge description: | Karen Jaye Michalec was sentenced to a 19 days in county jail by County Court at Law 2 Judge Jeffrey McMeans on August 21, 2015 after a jury took less than an hour to convict her of Driving While Intoxicated. The 55 year-old Needville woman was arrested after running a red light in July 2014. According to Assistant District Attorney Ashley Earl, Needville Police Officer Rendon witnessed Michalec drive through a flashing red light around 2:00 AM. The officer recognized the vehicle because he had seen it at a local bar shortly before the traffic violation. As Officer Rendon spoke with the defendant, he detected a strong odor of alcohol. Michalec admitted to drinking 4 to 5 drinks with the last one being just minutes before the traffic stop. Office Rendon then evaluated the defendants sobriety using several standard field sobriety tests, which indicated Michalec was unsafe to drive. Michalec refused to give a sample of her breath or blood when offered the chance. This case goes to show that no amount of driving while intoxicated will be acceptable in this county, said Earl. We asked the jury to hold the defendant accountable for her actions and they agreed with us. Driving While Intoxicated is a Class B Misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or a fine up to $2,000. The defendant has filed a notice of appeal. Assistant District Attorneys Ashley Earl and Johnny Wen prosecuted the case. Attorney Shannon Baldwin represented the defendant. |
| Booking location: | Fort Bend County, TX |
