In less than 24 hours, Como and Dike men were jailed for felony DWI, deputies alleged in arrest reports.
FM 69 North Reckless Driver
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Aaron Chaney responded to a call about a reckless driver at FM 69 north at 11:53 p.m. May 13. He spotted a Dodge Ram pickup, which fit the description of the vehicle being driven recklessly. the pickup passed by the deputy and turned into Dike Post Office driveway. A man got out and walked to the front door of the building.
When the deputy explained why he as contacting him, the man didn’t make eye contact wit the deputy and appeared nervous. The deputy reported seeing what appeared to be an open container in the console and checked it out. The beverage was still cold. When asked, the man claimed it was the only alcoholic beverage he’d consumed.
The man reportedly swayed back and forth during horizontal gaze nystagmus testing, during which he displayed all six possible clues of intoxication and failed standard field sobriety tests. The deputy also alleged alcohol could be smelled on the man. Chaney allowed the man to lock his vehicle and leave it for a family member to pick up later, then took him into custody at 12:26 a.m. May 14 for DWI, the deputy noted in arrest reports.
Daniel Ray Penson upon arrival at the jail reportedly agreed to a blood test. It was taken at the hospital and and the 31-year-old Dike man was transported to jail and booked for driving while intoxicated, third or more offense.
He was released from jail later Friday, May 14, on a $15,000 bond on the third-degree felony DWI charge, according to jail reports.
Penson was also booked into Hopkins County jail on motions to revoke on two DWI charges on Nov. 7, 2017; and on a DWI, third or more offense warrant on Jan. 18, 2019, jail records show.
FM 71 West Traffic Stop
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Drew Fisher and Nick Marney stopped a Oldsmobile sedan at 7:45 p.m. May 14, 2021 on FM 71 west at County Road 4767 for speeding.
Upon contact with the driver and lone occupant, deputies reported smelling alcohol in the vehicle. Deputies noticed alcoholic beverages in the passenger side floorboard.
Driver Bryan Keith Burkham allegedly admitted to consuming two alcoholic beverages prior to driving. After conducting standard field sobriety tests, the deputies took the 57-year-old Como man into custody at 8 p.m. May 14 for further investigation of DWI.
Burkham reportedly agreed to provide a blood sample for testing of blood-alcohol content. The sample was taken at the hospital, then Burkham was transported to jail. He was booked at 9:19 p.m. May 14 for driving while intoxicated, third or more offense.
The Como man remained in Hopkins County jail on the third-degree felony DWI warrant Saturday evening, May 15, 2021. Bond was set at $50,000.
Burkham was also booked into Hopkins County jail for DWI, third or more offense, on Oct. 12, 2014, then sentenced to serve weekend commitments on the charge beginning on Feb. 27, 2015; booked on another third or more DWI charges Nov. 16, 2017 and sentenced Dec. 20, 2017 to 4 years in Texas Department of Criminal Justice on the charge, according to jail reports.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
