by | Published
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — A San Antonio man with multiple prior drunken driving convictions has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to felony driving while intoxicated and two counts of bail jumping, prosecutors said.
Bradley Gonzales, 50, pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated with two or more previous convictions and was sentenced by Judge Tracie Wright-Reneau of the 207th District Court to 25 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Gonzales also pleaded guilty to two counts of bail jumping-failure to appear and received 25 years on each count, with all sentences ordered to run concurrently.
The court also entered an affirmative finding that Gonzales willfully failed to appear in court three times after being released from custody in the case.
The charges stem from an incident in New Braunfels when police responded to a Long John Silver’s drive-thru on Interstate 35 South after an employee called 911 to report a man had passed out behind the wheel while waiting in line.
Responding officers found Gonzales in the vehicle and began investigating.
According to prosecutors, when officers asked Gonzales where he was, he first said he was near Loop 410 in San Antonio. After being told he was not in San Antonio, Gonzales then asked if he was in Houston.
Officers reported Gonzales had glassy, bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, and an open container of alcohol inside the vehicle.
When asked how much he had been drinking, Gonzales reportedly said “two beers” and admitted taking painkillers.
Prosecutors said Gonzales rated his own intoxication as a “2” on a scale of one to ten.
Officers later obtained a warrant for a blood sample, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.176, more than twice the legal limit.
Prosecutors said the conviction marked Gonzales’ fourth DWI conviction.
Because of his prior felony history, including convictions involving attempted burglary and family violence, Gonzales was sentenced as a habitual offender.
Assistant District Attorney Cassandra Guajardo prosecuted the case.
