A Harris County man is facing a felony charge after deputies say he was driving while intoxicated with three young children in the vehicle, and a firearm was recovered during the stop. Ronald Amaya, 43, was pulled over Sunday in the 9600 block of FM 1960 Road West, where deputies say he displayed multiple signs of intoxication. He was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated with a child passenger, a charge that carries far more weight under Texas law than a standard DWI.
According to Harris County Constable Precinct 4, deputies administered standardized field sobriety tests before determining Amaya was intoxicated. Three children, ages 9, 6, and 5, were inside the vehicle at the time of the stop, and deputies also recovered a firearm from inside the car. Amaya was booked into the Harris County Jail, with bond set at $5,000 in the 488th District Court. "Choosing to drive while intoxicated is dangerous enough, but doing so with three young children in the vehicle is completely unacceptable," Constable Mark Herman said in the office's statement.
Prior DWI and Firearm Both Add Legal Weight
Amaya had a previous conviction for driving while intoxicated, according to the constable's office. Under Texas Penal Code § 49.09, prosecutors can use prior intoxication-related convictions as sentencing enhancements, and state law places no time limit on how far back those convictions can count, per FindLaw. That lifetime lookback means Amaya's earlier case could factor directly into how prosecutors approach this one.
Deputies also recovered a firearm from the vehicle during the stop, the constable's office said. Under Texas Penal Code § 46.02, carrying a handgun while intoxicated or while committing an offense beyond a minor traffic violation constitutes Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon, a charge that can be filed separately from DWI, according to Justia Law. Whether prosecutors will add that charge, or a child endangerment count, to Amaya's case has not yet been made public.
Felony Charge and Child Welfare Review Both Loom
Because three children were in the car, Amaya's DWI charge is elevated to a state jail felony under Texas Penal Code § 49.045, punishable by 180 days to two years in a state jail facility and a fine of up to $10,000, according to Deandra Grant Law. State jail sentences in Texas are served day-for-day, with no parole eligibility, per the same source.
Beyond the criminal case, an arrest for DWI with child passengers automatically triggers a referral to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services' Child Protective Services division under Chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code, according to L&L Law Group. That agency investigates home safety and potential endangerment separately from any court proceedings, and the outcome of that review for Amaya's three children has not been disclosed.
License and Court Deadlines Add Pressure
Amaya also faces an administrative deadline tied to his driving privileges. Texas law triggers an automatic license suspension through the Texas Department of Public Safety unless a driver requests an Administrative License Revocation hearing within 15 calendar days of arrest; without that request, the suspension takes effect automatically on the 40th day after arrest. His case will be heard in the 488th District Court, presided over by Judge Matthew Peneguy, who was elected to a full term running through December 2028, according to Ballotpedia.
FM 1960 Remains a Hotspot for DWI Patrols
The stretch of FM 1960 Road West where Amaya was stopped sits in a high-density commercial corridor within Harris County Precinct 4, patrolled regularly by Constable Herman's office, according to Community Impact. Hoodline has tracked repeat DWI arrests along the same thoroughfare in recent months, underscoring how frequently deputies intercept impaired drivers there.
Statewide, impaired driving killed 1,254 people on Texas roads in 2025 — an average of roughly three deaths a day — according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Under 2025 state guidelines, repeat offenders placed on probation for DWI with a child passenger must install ignition interlock devices on any vehicle they operate. "Deputies remain committed to removing impaired drivers from roadways and protecting vulnerable community members," Herman said. Amaya is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
