JUDGE WATCH: Montgomery County Judge Sadler Slips Past DWI (For Now)

Judge Alan “Barb” Sadler over in Conroe must have slept well last night, because he’s not been charged with driving drunk. Yet.

He did get himself arrested last week, though.

Seems Judge Sadler was driving his 2008 Chevy Avalache on North Loop 336 over there in Conroe about 8:30 on a Wednesday evening, when he was involved in a car crash. At the scene, police did field sobriety tests on Judge Sadler, and while the Judge initially agreed to a Breath Test, he changed his mind.

So they busted Judge Sadler for suspicion of driving drunk and took him down to the jail.

Once they were there, the cops had to wait for two hours to get a warrant and draw his blood for a blood test of his BAC (blood alcohol content). In Texas, you are guilty of driving drunk, as an adult, if your BAC is .08 or higher. And, you can’t take someone’s blood without a search warrant. That’s constitutionally protected.

Judge Sadler changed his mind about the breath test – hours later.

Almost three hours after the wreck, Judge Sadler changed his mind AGAIN and agreed to the Breath Test. He tested out at .02 … so he was found not to be drunk per the BAC standards and the DA released him.

What about the blood test? It’s still at the lab.

The DA is telling the press that the case isn’t closed. They’ll arrest the Judge for driving drunk if that blood test doesn’t come back in his favor.

And that blood test will show not only intoxication due to alcohol, but any other substances that can cause impaired judgment. Heck, even Nyquil can impair your judgment (as can any of those flu or cold medications that warn “don’t drive heavy machinery while taking this drug”).

Has Judge Sadler Been Following Judge Berry’s DWI Case?

Wonder if Judge Sadler has been following the case of Judge Elizabeth Berry (see earlier post, below), who also refused the breath test at the scene? As you’ll recall, Judge Berry’s blood test later revealed a BAC well over .o8….

Sources:

MSNBC.COM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29537968/

Montgomery County News
http://www.montgomerycountynews.net/index.php?module=article&view=279

Dallas Criminal Lawyer Blog
http://dallaslawyer.blogspot.com/2009/01/judge-watch-district-judge-berry-wins.html