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I've had similar experiences with calling in drunks. I just don't bother anymore unless it has resulted in an accident. With the limited resources of most agencies and the time it takes to do the report for DUI, it just doesn't seem to be worth an officer's time unless a conviction can be assured or someone has gotten hurt. I've had exactly one successful call for a DUI out of may be ten times I've called them in. I'm not even sure I could say it was successful since it didn't result in a DUI citation or arrest.

I was driving east on Westheimer with what I already suspected was a DUI in a convertible Mustang a head of me. As we approached the intersection of Post Oak and Westheimer, the driver became confused, thinking she was entering the turning lane, she made an early lane change into the westbound lanes of Westheimer. At that time, she struck the concrete island in the middle of Westheimer just short of Post Oak I was right behind her at the time of impact.

The impact blew the suspension and knocked the front of the car into the air. As the airbag deployed I could see the driver's face hit the bag. Prior to this impact, I observed her failing to maintain speed and lanes. I then watched her blow the intersections at Chimey Rock and again at Sage. Her boyfriend was apparently passed out in the passenger seat as his head bobbed and rolled as if he was unconscious.

When she finally hit the island I debated calling it in or just rendering aid. Since it was a single vehicle accident, I didn't really see a need to call it in because I didn't know for sure this was DUI and wasn't really qualified to say since I don't drink and I'm not a cop. But my DUI suspicions were cemented by the fact that as I approached the vehicle from the rear and on passenger side, I saw the woman trying to stuff the airbag back into the steering wheel.

Well when she flipped me off for trying to render aid, I decided to call it in as a simple accident and drive away to let someone else deal with it. But something bugged me. Something told me she wouldn't be there by the time an unit arrived, if one arrived at all. So having already driven off and headed north on the 610-West feeder, I turned around at San Filepe and returned to the scene at Post Oak and Westheimer. Sure enough, she'd started driving away. I spotted her headed north on Post Oak, throwing sparks because she was dragging a wheel. I followed the couple to the Willie G's parking lot where I saw the lady wake her boyfriend who then tried start fixing the busted tire/wheel while she put the convertible top back up.

A few minutes had passed and I figured a responding unit should be in the area by now so I returned to Post Oak and Westheimer where sure enough, a unit blew the intersection and after not seeing anything, stopped at the Shell on the corner of Westheimer and 610 to fill out a report. I drove up next to the guy and ask if he was looking for a DUI and he said yes. So I told him where to find the DUI. He headed over and I believe cited them for PI but that's about it. I wasn't asked to be a witness even though I'd have gladly done it. My guess is, it would have been too hard to get a conviction and wasn't worth trying to push DUI. I'm sure that woman has probably beein involved in other DUI's since if she's still alive.