Celina DWI Attorney

Dark Roads and a Growing Town

Celina still has its historic downtown square, but it’s surrounded by new neighborhoods, construction zones, and two-lane roads that were farm roads not long ago. Many Celina DWI stops happen on Preston Road (SH 289), which runs through the center of town, or on unlit county roads late at night, where a drifting tire or a missing turn signal is easy for an officer to see.

Those same conditions matter for the defense. Field sobriety tests are supposed to be given on flat, dry, well-lit ground. A gravel shoulder, a dark road with passing headlights, or an uneven surface near a construction zone can make a sober person look impaired.

Collin or Denton County?

Celina lies mostly in Collin County, with part of the city in Denton County. Collin County cases are prosecuted in McKinney at the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building, 2100 Bloomdale Road; Denton County cases are heard in Denton. The location of the stop decides which.

The First Two Weeks

1. Bond. A magistrate sets bond and conditions, which may require an ignition interlock device.
2. The license deadline. Request an ALR hearing within 15 days of the arrest notice, or your license is suspended automatically on the 40th day: 90 days for a failed test, 180 for a refusal, on a first arrest.
3. Preserve the evidence. Request the Celina Police Department’s dash and body camera video before it’s overwritten.

Penalties

A first DWI is a Class B misdemeanor with 72 hours to 180 days in jail and a fine up to $2,000; at 0.15 or more it becomes a Class A misdemeanor. A conviction adds a state traffic fine of $3,000 or more. Deferred adjudication is available for many first offenses, except at 0.15 or above or for commercial license holders.

A Former Officer and Prosecutor on Your Side

Al Rowland is a former police officer certified to administer Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and a former prosecutor in Colorado. On a rural Celina stop, he looks closely at lighting, road surface, weather, and whether the officer’s instructions and scoring match the training standards, then at how a prosecutor would try to fill the gaps.

Frequently Asked Questions

I was stopped on a dark county road. Does that help my case?

It can. Poor lighting and uneven ground affect both how the tests are performed and how well the video shows them.

Is my case heard in Celina?

No. DWI is a county criminal case, heard in McKinney or Denton depending on where the stop happened.

Can I keep driving to work?

If a suspension takes effect, you may qualify for an occupational driver’s license, often with an ignition interlock.

Call Before the 15 Days Run Out

Call (469) 895-6555 or request a free, confidential DWI case review. Law Office of Al Rowland, PLLC, 6160 Warren Pkwy, Suite 100, Frisco, TX 75034. See also: Collin County DWI defense.

This page provides general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.