San Antonio District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte was arrested on Friday for allegedly driving while intoxicated.
A San Antonio Police Department officer assigned to the DWI unit pulled Whyte's vehicle over on an access road off NE Loop 410 just after 11pm. According to preliminary information from SAPD, he was arrested without incident after showing signs of intoxication and a DWI evaluation.
Whyte was released from Bexar County Jail on Saturday after posting $2,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 30.
Records show that Whyte refused a breathalyzer but told the officer he drank a beer at three different places on the city's Northwest side. They include El Mirasol, Myron’s Steakhouse, and the Thirsty Horse Saloon.
“I did not feel intoxicated when I drove home last night. I never get behind the wheel when I feel as if I’ve had too much to drink. But that isn’t the point. Nobody should drive even if they have had just one drink. I take full ownership over my actions, and I apologize to the residents of District 10, my family, friends, counsel colleagues and anyone else who I have let down,” Whyte said in a statement on Saturday.
On Monday, Whyte told TPR he plans to continue serving on the council following the incident.
Whyte’s alleged DWI charge followed in the same footsteps of his predecessor, former District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry.
Perry was arrested in November 2022 following a DWI charge after an affidavit stated he was believed to have ordered 14 alcoholic beverages at a bar in Northeast San Antonio. He crashed into another vehicle and fled the scene to his home.
Perry was not arrested during a police encounter at his home shortly after the accident, as shown in SAPD body cam footage. He turned himself in at the Bexar County Courthouse several days later.
Perry did not resign from his position following the arrest, but instead opted to finish out his third term and not run for reelection.
That left the District 10 seat without an incumbent, leading to a seven way race that Whyte easily won in May 2023.
He has been in office for about six months, often the lone conservative voice on the council dais.
Whyte told TPR he has hired the same attorney as Perry.
