No refusal weekend to premiere on Lake Conroe

Montgomery County has announced a No Refusal Weekend for boaters on Lake Conroe this Memorial Day weekend. Assistant District Attorney Warren Diepraam (formerly of the Harris County D.A.'s Office) said that he believes this is a first in the United States.

Between 2004 and 2008, there were 57 arrests for boating while intoxicated

(BWI) on Lake Conroe (about an hour north of Houston), however few of those arrested were ever prosecuted. Now, armed with cameras on two Lake Patrol boats and four Texas Parks and Wildlife Department boats, the Montgomery County D.A.'s Office is warning boaters to beware.

Montgomery County is also looking to purchase an infrared camera to measure jerking in the eye (nystagmus) allegedly caused by the consumption of alcohol.

The county is looking to run No Refusal Weekends on Lake Conroe on both the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends as well.