TYLER, Texas — A hearing is set for July 22 for Patrick Mahomes Sr., in regards to his indictment on a driving while intoxicated third time or more charge he received in April, in connection with a February traffic stop.
In the Lone Star State, a first time DWI charge will land you a fine up to $2,000, up to 180 days in jail, and a mandatory license suspension of 90 days to a year. A second brings a fine of up to $4,000, up to one year in jail, and a license suspension of 180 days to two years. So there’s two strikes… a third of course, carries the heaviest consequences.
"If you’re charged with it, you can be indicted as a felony. It’s a third-degree felony, with a punishment range of two years to ten years, and/or a $10,000 fine. That’s the minimum/maximum," criminal defense attorney Bobby Mims said.
It’s not guaranteed that someone in Mahomes' position would be convicted of a felony, but if they were, that’s where things could get a bit tricky. Collecting another DWI charge after already having been convicted of one felony can bring hefty charges.
"If you’ve had a prior felony conviction, what happens is they can enhance that punishment to a higher level. If you’ve got two priors, they can enhance it all the way up to a first-degree felony," Mims said.
An individual with two prior felonies that is convicted of a third would face a minimum mandatory prison sentence of at least 25 years.