A 61-year-old Emory man, Carlton Cagle, has been arrested by the Hopkins County Sheriff's Office for driving while intoxicated (DWI) - his third offense. The incident took place on the night of August 27, 2023.
At approximately 10:40 p.m. on August 27, the Hopkins County Sheriff's Office received a call reporting a reckless driver traveling northbound on SH 154 South. The driver was observed failing to maintain a single lane, prompting concern among other road users.
A diligent deputy responded to the call and located the vehicle in question. The deputy witnessed the vehicle continuing to swerve out of its lane. Subsequently, a traffic stop was initiated, and the vehicle pulled into the Walmart parking lot.
Upon making contact with the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, identified as Carlton Cagle, the deputy detected signs of intoxication. Cagle admitted to having consumed alcoholic beverages prior to driving. In an attempt to assess Cagle's sobriety, the deputy administered Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. Cagle was unable to successfully perform these tests, further confirming the suspicion of intoxication.
Given the circumstances, Cagle was taken into custody. However, he refused to provide a blood specimen for testing. Authorities obtained a search warrant, allowing them to perform a blood draw on Cagle at Christus Hospital. After the blood draw, he was transported to Hopkins County Jail to await further legal proceedings.
Disturbingly, records indicate that Carlton Cagle already has at least two previous DWI convictions on his criminal record. As a result of his latest offense, Cagle faces a third DWI charge, classified as a felony of the third degree.
