San Antonio District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte speaks to reporters following council’s censure vote in January. Credit: Michael Karlis

Instead of the 180 days in jail and driver’s license suspension he could have faced as maximum penalty for his DUI charge, District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte will complete community service hours and pay a fine, KSAT reports.

In exchange for prosecutors dropping the charge, Whyte pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of a highway. He’s now required to do 48 hours of community service and pay $1,120 in fines and court costs, according to the station’s reporting.

Whyte was arrested in December after a member of the San Antonio Police Department’s DWI task force caught the councilman speeding and changing lanes without signaling, according to records.

Although some legal experts said Whyte looked sober in the body cam footage, the Texas Department of Public Safety later revealed that his blood alcohol concentration was 0.089 — barely above the legal driving limit.

Whyte is the second councilman from District 10 to be charged with a drunk driving-related charge in less than two years.

Former District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry — who’s now running for mayor — was arrested on DUI and hit-and-run charges in November 2022. The accident occurred after he slurped down 14 drinks at the cocktail lounge Evil Olive, according to an SAPD report.

Despite Perry’s case grabbing national media attention, he also avoided the maximum punishment, instead receiving 12 months probation and 24 hours of community service.

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This article appears in Oct 30 – Nov 5, 2024.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...