State Rep. Mike Krusee arrested for DWI

May 1, 2008

Associated Press

GEORGETOWN, Texas (AP/KXAN) -- A state lawmaker who helped pave the way for major toll road projects and stiffer drunken driving penalties now faces a DWI charge.

Rep. Mike Krusee of Williamson County is the Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee. He was charged with first-offense driving while intoxicated after a state trooper noticed his car moving erratically in northwest Austin Wednesday night. The license plate on the vehicle also had expired last December.

Elected state officials all have personalized license plates. Therefore, the trooper would have known he was pulling over a state official before asking for identification.

A spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety said Krusee failed a field sobriety test. When asked if he had been drinking, Krusee said he had had one glass of wine.

Krusee sponsored House Bill 3588, which opened the door for the state's toll road system and the Trans-Texas Corridor. It also included a provision to create the driver responsibility program, which charges a $1,000 surcharge for first-time offenders convicted of driving while intoxicated, with additional penalties for repeat offenses.

Krusee isn't seeking re-election this year.

The Capitol had buzzed that Krusee would be a candidate to serve on the Texas Transportation Commission once he resigned his seat in the House. Paul Burka, senior executive editor of Texas Monthly, speculated on his blog Thursday that the DWI did not help Krusee, mainly because it gave new ammunition to toll road opponents who oppose Krusee's appointment.

"Krusee has made himself a bigger target than he would have been otherwise," Burka said.

The second strike against Krusee's appointment to the Texas Transportation Commission -- if Gov. Rick Perry were to choose to appoint him -- is that he would follow Perry's former chief of staff Deirdre Delisi onto the commission. Perry named Delisi chair of the commission this week. One Perry appointee completely committed to toll roads and the Trans-Texas Corridor might be expected; there might be natural opposition to two such appointments, Burka said.

Krusee's attorney Jason Nassour did not respond to calls and an e-mail for comment on Thursday. Under state law, Krusee's license is automatically suspended for 180 days for refusing a breath test. He was released from Williamson County Jail in Georgetown Thursday morning after posting a $1,000 bail. First-offense DWI is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by probation to 180 days in jail and fines of up to $2,000.

Krusee has served in the House since 1993. He's a close ally of Perry on transportation issues and stood as the sole House vote against a bill that would rein in toll roads last session.