ROCKWALL, TX (March 30, 2026) On March 25, 2026, Judge David Rakow of the 439th Judicial District Court sentenced Dallas County resident, James William Travis, 44, to ten years in a Texas prison for the felony offense of Driving While Intoxicated Third or More. Travis was sentenced after a jury found him guilty on March 10, 2026.
Jurors heard testimony that on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at approximately 1:09 a.m., Rockwall Police Officer Dylan Sparks was on patrol when he observed a vehicle stopped in a lane of traffic at the intersection of State Highway 205 and Ridge Road in Rockwall, despite a green light. Officer Sparks approached the vehicle and observed Travis passed out behind the wheel of the running vehicle, which was still in drive. After Officer Sparks woke Travis up, he noted multiple signs of intoxication. Travis later admitted to having consumed alcohol earlier that night and that he had been driving from Farmersville through Rockwall to his destination in Dallas. Travis was subsequently arrested for the offense of felony Driving While Intoxicated and a warrant was sought for Travis’s blood after he refused to consent to a blood draw. Travis’s Blood Alcohol Concentration was later determined to be .120, nearly three hours after the initial encounter.
In punishment, the State introduced evidence of Travis’s extensive criminal history, including previous convictions and a prison sentence for the felony offenses of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity and Burglary of a Habitation, as well as a federal prison sentence for the offense of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The State also introduced evidence of two prior DWI convictions, multiple controlled substance possession convictions, and several other offenses.
“Thanks to his exceptional policing, Officer Sparks was able to help put away a man who has a history of serious crime, including multiple DWIs and other dangerous felony offenses,” said lead prosecutor, Andrew Gray. “The jury’s verdict and Judge’s sentence in this case send a clear and important message: in Rockwall County, accountability isn’t optional—it’s enforced.”
“This is one more example of why residents need to be careful while driving – especially late at night,” said Rockwall County District Attorney Kenda Culpepper. “This Dallas County repeat and violent offender drove through the wrong county while intoxicated and has now experienced some Rockwall County justice.”
Submitted press release.
Rockwall County Jury Delivers 10-Year Sentence to Repeat DWI Offender added by Editor on
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