Harris County treasurer faces new DWI arrest after burglary case dropped

Photo credit: Houston Public Media

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas — Harris County Treasurer Carla Wyatt was arrested Saturday in Galveston County on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to jail records.

Wyatt, 56, was being held on a $3,000 cash bond late Saturday, records showed.

The arrest comes weeks after a Harris County grand jury declined to indict Wyatt on a separate burglary-related charge.

It is the second DWI-related allegation against Wyatt during her time in office. She was arrested in 2023 and accused of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of at least 0.15%, nearly twice the legal limit. Court records show that case was later dismissed in August 2025 after she completed a pretrial diversion program.

Wyatt was also arrested in Harris County in December and accused of burglary of a vehicle with intent to commit theft. Prosecutors said witnesses observed her searching through items inside a vehicle that did not belong to her.

In April, a Harris County grand jury declined to indict her in that case.

Wyatt’s attorney in the burglary case, Christopher Downey, previously said she received medical evaluation after her December arrest and was diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease and a mini-stroke. He also said she was being treated for anemia and had made changes to her medical care and work routine. It was not immediately clear whether those medical details were considered in the grand jury’s decision.

Wyatt has also been involved in an ongoing restructuring of the Harris County treasurer’s office after county commissioners voted in February to remove key functions from the office and approved steps toward its possible dissolution, pending voter approval.

Wyatt, elected in 2022, is on the ballot for reelection in November. No challenger appeared in the Democratic primary, while Republican Marc Cowart won his party’s nomination.

Court records in Galveston County did not list a defense attorney for Wyatt as of late Saturday.

Related posts

Austin residents face widespread outages after stormy weather

Colorful “sea piggies” baffle locals as they appear along texas shores

Houston experts shed light on the unseen challenges of motherhood