TEXAS CITY, Texas – Harris County Treasurer Dr. Carla Wyatt is facing legal trouble again after being arrested for driving while intoxicated in Galveston County over the weekend.
According to Galveston County jail records, Wyatt was arrested Saturday on a DWI charge and later released on a $3,000 bond. KPRC 2 has learned she was arrested in Texas City.
The arrest marks Wyatt’s second DWI arrest and her third arrest since taking office as Harris County Treasurer.
Previous DWI case dismissed through diversion program
Court records show Wyatt was previously arrested for DWI in Houston in December 2023.
KPRC 2 obtained the Houston Police Department offense report through a public records request.
According to the report, officers found Wyatt in the driver’s seat of a vehicle stopped in the roadway on Scott Street near Old Spanish Trail. The report states a witness told officers Wyatt appeared to be going in and out of consciousness inside the running vehicle.
Officers wrote in the report that Wyatt had slurred speech, balance issues, and smelled of alcohol.
The police report also states Wyatt later provided a breath sample that registered between .365 and .367 — more than four times the legal limit of .08.
That case was later dismissed after Wyatt completed a pretrial diversion program.
A pretrial diversion program allows some first-time or low-level offenders to avoid a conviction if they successfully complete court-ordered conditions such as counseling, classes, or remaining arrest-free for a period of time.
Houston criminal defense attorney Joe Vinas told KPRC 2 that pre-trial diversion programs are offered so defendants do not commit the same offense in the future.
“The likelihood that anybody gets a second pre-trial diversion on a DWI is pretty slim,” said Vinas.
Burglary case no-billed by grand jury
The latest arrest also comes months after Wyatt was arrested in Harris County last December and charged with burglary of a motor vehicle.
Houston police accused Wyatt of trying to break into someone’s vehicle outside the Forget Me Not bar on Washington Avenue.
That case was later no-billed by a Harris County grand jury, meaning jurors declined to move forward with criminal charges.
Commissioners Court previously stripped duties from Treasurer’s Office
Earlier this year, Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously voted to move some financial responsibilities out of the Treasurer’s Office.
During the February meeting, Commissioner Adrian Garcia cited “some concerns found” as part of the reason for the move.
Commissioners also discussed making the elimination of the Harris County Treasurer’s Office a legislative priority for the 2027 Texas legislative session.
That effort to eliminate the office would need a constitutional amendment which requires approval from both the Texas Legislature and voters.
Wyatt is currently seeking re-election as Harris County Treasurer.
Under Texas law, a pending misdemeanor case does not prevent a candidate from remaining on the ballot or holding office.
KPRC 2 went to Wyatt’s home Sunday seeking comment, but no one answered the door.
KPRC 2 has also requested body camera footage from Wyatt’s latest arrest in Texas City.