DWI for Assistant DA
Prosecutor in Travis County district attorney's office charged with DWI
KVUE — A prosecutor with the Travis County district attorney’s office has been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI). A spokesperson with the DA’s office confirmed on Monday that Brandon Grunewald, 33, was arrested this weekend after allegedly being involved in a traffic accident.
According to an arrest affidavit, Grunewald was involved in a crash on the afternoon of August 11, on the access road of southbound MoPac near Barton Skyway. Reports say he was driving a 2008 Land Rover when he hit the driver of a Mini Cooper from behind.
The arrest affidavit says Grunewald appeared to have bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol. The officer also said in the report that he refused to take breath and field-sobriety tests.
Grunewald, who is assigned to the trial division that prosecutes DWI cases, was arrested and charged with DWI. He posted a $3,500 bond and was later released but ordered to install an ignition interlock device on his vehicle.
Travis County district attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said she has never fired someone for a first DWI offense. KVUE News has learned Frank Dixon and Cynthia Bell with the Travis County DA’s office were fired after offenses of DWI. A source also tells KVUE News a victim witness counselor was fired after a DWI offense.
Tuesday morning Lehmberg released the following statement about Grunewald's arrest:
Assistant district attorney Brandon Grunewald was arrested by Austin police on Sunday afternoon and charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), a misdemeanor. Grunewald was involved in a collision. Currently there are no injuries reported from the collision.
Brandon Grunewald has served in the district attorney’s office for almost five years. His performance has been excellent.
The Travis County attorney is handling the DWI case since it is his first arrest and therefore a misdemeanor. The district attorney’s office handles felony DWIs, which result when individuals have been previously convicted of DWIs.
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