If you leave El Paso on Interstate 10 East and drive straight through, you won’t arrive in Tom Bean, Texas, for about 10 hours. The small town of about 1,000 outside of Dallas lists no recent news of any kind on its website, though recent developments there might prompt a change.
A town councilman was recently arrested for felony intoxicated assault. Councilman Ben Vincent’s vehicle reportedly struck a city truck, resulting in injuries to the truck’s driver.
The councilman had recently been allowed to go free after being pulled over for DWI and reportedly admitting to a police officer that he had been drinking. The officer was subsequently fired, according to a news report.
Witnesses to the alleged drunk driving accident told a local TV station that Vincent’s vehicle had been swerving prior to the crash. The town’s police chief said the councilman had been seen “veering over to the center of the line into the opposing lane of the traffic a couple of times, almost hitting several other vehicles.”
Vincent had previously been stopped by a police officer in Grayson County on suspicion of drunken driving and let go. According to a news article about that incident, dash cam video showed the officer saying Vincent had crossed the center line.
After being pulled over, the councilman admitted that he had consumed a bottle of wine. The officer told him to call a sober driver to come and pick him up.
Vincent faces up to 10 years behind bars if convicted of the serious intoxicated assault charge he faces.
Those facing similar accusations in El Paso can speak with an attorney experienced in DWI defense.