| Inmate name: | Jessica Lynn Airies |
| Charge description: | Jessica Lynn Airies was convicted of Driving While Intoxicated by a jury on February 24, 2016 after deliberating for only 20 minutes. Visiting Judge Ben Bud Childers sentenced the 28-year old League City woman to 12 months of probation two days later. Airies was charged with the crime in 2013 after demonstrating signs of intoxication. According to Assistant District Attorney Brandon Draper, Airies crashed into a tree near the intersection of Kansas and Spruce Streets in Fresno on March 22, 2013 around 2:00 a.m. A local resident called 911 to report the crash and Fort Bend County Sheriffs Detective John Howell was dispatched to the crash location. Detective Howell arrived to find the defendant unconscious in the drivers seat. Unsure of Airies safety and well-being, he tried to wake her up from outside of the car, but could not. The deputy then broke the rear window out of her car to get inside and provide assistance. When he got inside, he noticed that the car smelled like an alcoholic drink. By the time paramedics arrived, Airies had awakened and became hostile towards them and refused their medical help. She repeatedly stated that she was fine, that her car was fine, and that she was not in an accident. At this point in time, Detective Howell began investigating this as a potential intoxicated driving case. He noticed that Aries remained hostile, had red and glassy eyes, was unsteady on her feet, and smelled an alcoholic drink on her breath. For the safety of himself, the paramedics, and Ms. Airies, Detective Howell placed her in handcuffs, and then asked her to performed standardized field sobriety tests. The defendant refused to cooperate with the detectives intoxication evaluation and also refused a breath test. Because she was in a crash, Airies was taken to a local hospital where medical personnel determined that she did not have any injuries. The State presented this evidence to the jury at trial and a video of Ms. Airies from the time of arrest to her arrival at the Sheriffs Office. The defendants behavior on the video ranged from crying to laughing to passing out. The defense argued that Airies appearance and actions were due to her being awake for the last twenty-four hours and also the car crash, and that the smell of alcohol was due to antifreeze leaking from the car and onto her. Airies and her mother both testified that she did not drink anything that day. In closing arguments, the State highlighted the overwhelming evidence proving Airies guilt and attacked the defense that antifreeze caused her to appear intoxicated as nothing short of ridiculous. Im proud of the jury for seeing through the nonsense defense, said lead prosecutor Brandon Marc Draper. Criminals are held accountable for their actions in Fort Bend County, Draper added. Airies was tried in County Court at Law No. 4. Driving While Intoxicated in this case is a Class B Misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine up to $2,000. Airies will pay a $500 fine, perform 48 hours of community service. She will also attend a DWI offender program in addition to a Victim Impact Panel. Assistant District Attorneys Brandon Marc Draper and Stacie Carr prosecuted the case. Attorney Frederick P. Forlano represented the defendant. |
| Booking location: | Fort Bend County, TX |
