Refugio County DWI Guide

Refugio County logged just 16 DWI arrests in 2024, down slightly from historical norms in a county of roughly 6,800 people. Compare that to Harris County's 12,000-plus annual DWI charges, and the scale difference explains almost everything about how this county handles a case: individually, by hand, without the dedicated staff a bigger jurisdiction can afford.

Vehicle recovery. The Sheriff's Office processes impound paperwork at 807 Osage Street, but the vehicles themselves sit at a separate lot locals call "the Annex." You have to clear paperwork and pay at Osage Street first, then go collect the car. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 PM — a strict lunch closure, no weekend access. The county charges a flat $200 impound fee plus $20 a day storage, just under the state's $22.85 cap. The payment rule catches people off guard: cash is not accepted. Everything has to be a money order made out to "Refugio County." Show up with a stack of twenties and you'll be turned away.

Jail and bail. A second-offense DWI typically runs a $3,000 to $10,000 surety bond locally. Several regional bail bond agencies write bonds for Refugio defendants, including one with a satellite office directly in the county seat.

Court. Misdemeanor DWIs stay in the Refugio County Court; felonies escalate to the 24th, 135th, or 267th Judicial District Courts. The courthouse decorum policy is strict: phones must be powered off, not just silenced, and the dress code bans shorts, flip-flops, hats, sunglasses, and anything with offensive language. Pants can't sit below the hip line. Continuance motions generally have to be heard by the Thursday before a scheduled trial.

License suspension. The same 15-day ALR deadline applies here as everywhere in Texas. Refugio County has no DPS driver license office at all — the nearest options are Beeville or the Corpus Christi Mega Center, both requiring travel out of the county.

Gold dust. Unlike most of rural Texas, Refugio County doesn't require defendants to leave for a substance abuse evaluation. The county's designated regional mental health authority runs an outpatient clinic right in Refugio and handles court-ordered SASSI-4 evaluations locally — a genuine logistical break in a county that otherwise sends everything else to Victoria.

Sources

• Texas DPS DWI Report by Agency
• Refugio County Sheriff's Office — Vehicle Impound