AUSTIN, Texas — The driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge against State Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) has been rejected, according to documents obtained from the Travis County Attorney's Office.
Schwertner, 52, was arrested by the Austin Police Department on Feb. 7, near Avenue B and West 45th Street. Documents showed that Schwertner was swerving his vehicle in the Hyde Park area.
During a traffic stop, documents showed Schwertner was confused and had bloodshot, glassy, watery eyes and a slurred speech pattern. He also allegedly had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath.
He was booked into the Travis County Jail on a DWI charge, a class B misdemeanor, and was released later the same day.
Schwertner is a chairman of the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Constitutional Issues. He also serves as a member of the Senate Committees on Education, Finance, State Affairs and on the Legislative Budget Board and Texas Sunset Advisory Commission.
According to report by The Texas Tribune, this wasn't Schwertner's first brush with scandal. In 2018, he was accused of sending sexually explicit photos of his genitals to a University of Texas graduate student. He denied the allegations, stating that someone else sent the messages using his LinkedIn account and another privacy phone messaging app that belongs to him.
A UT investigation described Schwertner as uncooperative and did not clear him of wrongdoing. However, the university concluded that it could not prove Schwertner sent the texts.
Following the sexual harassment allegation, Schwertner gave up his chairmanship of the Texas Senate's Health and Human Services Committee.
KVUE reached out to the Travis County Attorney's Office for clarification on why the DWI charge against Schwertner was rejected. The office provided the following statement:
"After reviewing the evidence presented to our office, we determined there was not sufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Mr. Schwertner also voluntarily submitted to alcohol counseling and alcohol monitoring with no violations. One of our priorities in ensuring public safety is to encourage people to seek the help and education they need to be accountable and prevent potential future harm. After considering all factors, prosecutorial discretion determined the appropriate resolution was a dismissal. Mr. Schwertner’s case was given the same consideration as other individuals facing a first-time DWI offense."