What started as a traffic stop on Atascocita Road ended with a brief chase, a foot pursuit and a felony-level DWI charge, according to Harris County deputies.
Deputies say they tried to pull over David Rodriguez near the 4600 block of Atascocita Road on Thursday when he refused to stop, leading them on a short vehicle pursuit. After the car was brought to a halt, authorities say Rodriguez jumped out and ran, but deputies quickly caught up, took him into custody and booked him into the Harris County Jail. A judge later set his bond at $45,000 in the 339th District Court. He is charged with evading arrest in a motor vehicle and driving while intoxicated for the third time.
According to a post by Harris County Constable Precinct 4, deputies initiated the stop near the 4600 block of Atascocita Road and briefly pursued the vehicle when the driver failed to pull over. The constable’s office says the driver then bolted from the car on foot before being apprehended. Deputies reported multiple signs of intoxication, administered standardized field sobriety tests that indicated impairment and later confirmed two prior DWI convictions, making this a third-offense DWI case. The post notes that bond was set at $45,000 in the 339th District Court.
What Deputies Say Happened
Deputies say the encounter escalated when the driver refused to comply with the initial stop and instead led them on a short vehicle chase. Once the car was stopped, the driver allegedly ran, only to be detained after a brief foot pursuit. Officers reported that Rodriguez showed several indicators of intoxication and that field sobriety tests backed up their suspicion of impairment. Records revealed two prior DWI convictions, prompting the current third-offense DWI charge, according to Harris County Constable Precinct 4.
Third-Offense DWI Carries Felony Penalties
Under Texas law, a third or subsequent DWI is typically treated as a third-degree felony, which can mean two to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000. Actual punishment depends on factors such as prior prison time and case specifics. Convictions can also bring driver’s license suspension and escalating administrative penalties for repeat offenders. The elements of the offense and the enhanced penalties are set out in Texas Penal Code Chapter 49, as outlined on Justia.
Court, Booking And What Comes Next
Authorities booked Rodriguez into the Harris County Jail on the evading arrest and third-offense DWI allegations, with bond set at $45,000 in the 339th District Court. From here, the case moves through the county court system, and upcoming hearing dates will appear in Harris County court records. In cases like this, defense attorneys typically comb through dashcam or bodycam video, arrest reports and any field sobriety or chemical-test documentation during pretrial motions and discovery.
Precinct 4 has been vocal about its impaired-driving enforcement in recent years, highlighting operations such as a high-profile DUI crackdown over Memorial Day weekend in 2024 that netted multiple suspected impaired drivers. The constable’s social media feeds continue to serve as a primary way the public hears about many of the precinct’s traffic-enforcement arrests.
