Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones charged with DWI in Texas, authorities say
AUSTIN, Texas – Austin-based conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was booked into the Travis County Jail on a charge of driving while intoxicated just after midnight Tuesday, the Travis County sheriff’s office said.
Jones, 46, was booked at 12:37 a.m., said Kristen Dark, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office. The driving while intoxicated charge is a class B misdemeanor, she said.
His bail was set at $3,000 but he was released on bond at 4:11 a.m., Dark said.
Jones founded Infowars and produces his radio show in Austin. An article posted on his Infowars website said Jones discussed the arrest on his show Tuesday and claimed his blood-alcohol level was under the legal limit of .08 percent.
An arrest affidavit for Jones says a sheriff’s deputy responded at 10:10 p.m. Monday to a western Travis County residence for a disturbance reported by Jones’ wife.
May 2019: Facebook bans Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones, more for ‘dangerous’ behavior and hate speech
His wife had told the dispatcher they were in a verbal fight that had been physical earlier in the day, the affidavit says. She said Jones was leaving the residence in a black Dodge Charger and that he was possibly drinking, the affidavit says.
While en route to the residence, a deputy saw a dark Dodge leaving the neighborhood. The vehicle was traveling 45 mph in a 40 mph zone.
The deputy pulled the vehicle over and interviewed Jones, who had a strong odor of alcohol, the affidavit says.
Jones told the deputy he and his wife had gotten into an argument while eating at a restaurant around 8 p.m., the affidavit says. He said he drank a bottle of sake during dinner, according to the court documents.
Jones walked 3 miles home from the dinner. When he arrived, they continued arguing, the affidavit says.
“Jones stated he then proceeded to drive to another residence he owns downtown to get away from his wife,” the affidavit says.
The deputy conducted sobriety tests on Jones. His eyes were described in the affidavit as being watery and glassy with constricted pupils. His demeanor was described as excited, talkative, carefree and cooperative, according to the court documents.
Jones had a blood alcohol level of 0.076 at 11:55 p.m. and a level of 0.079 at 11:59 p.m. The legal blood alcohol limit while driving in Texas is 0.08.
Jones has hired attorney David Minton to represent him. Minton, of the firm Minton, Burton, Bassett & Collins, also represented Jones in divorce proceedings.
Contributing: The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Alex Jones, Infowars conspiracy theorist, charged with DWI, police say
