WAXAHACHIE – Jacob Castillo, 21, of Dallas was convicted in an Ellis County Court last week for driving while intoxicated.
The intoxication was caused by marijuana use prior to operating a motor vehicle.
Castillo was sentenced to probation for a term of 20 months.
Castillo was stopped by Waxahachie Police on Sept. 12, 2024, after officers observed his vehicle did not have a functioning license plate light.
When officers approached Castillo, they noticed a strong odor of marijuana.
They also said he had slowed, slurred speech, a delayed reaction time, and that he was laughing at the officers’ questions.
He did admit to officers he had smoked a “blunt” 30 minutes prior.
During a DWI investigation, the suspect was not able to focus or to follow instructions, his movements were slow, and he leaned against his vehicle for support.
When his vehicle was searched officers found empty containers with marijuana residue and a marijuana grinder in the center console of Castillo’s vehicle.
He was arrested at that time for DWI.
“The law criminalizes driving while intoxicated, and not just driving while drunk, for a reason,” said lead prosecutor Valerie Berger.
“We all deserve safe roads. A person’s decision to drive while they are not sober can be the determining factor in whether everyone gets to make it home safely.”