Jody Wade charged with DWI in Young County

A Wichita Falls businessman and former city contractor was charged with DWI in Young County just before Thanksgiving, another legal problem in a string of them, according to court documents.

Jody Randolph Wade was charged with DWI, second offense, after he was discovered allegedly passed out in the driver's seat of an SUV according to allegations in court records.

The offense is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine up to $4,500.

Wade, 49, was free Friday from Young County Jail on a $2,000 bond, according to officials and court records.

More: Jody Wade Enterprises LLC gets state license revoked, $11,500 penalty

On Nov. 24, a Young County sheriff's deputy and sergeant were dispatched to a suspicious vehicle at North Road and Ickert Road outside of Olney, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

An Olney police officer first made contact with Wade, who was driving a black Chevy Tahoe, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

The police officer advised that Wade was passed out in the driver's seat and had just woken up, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

More: Jody Wade pleads guilty to weapon charges in Washington, D.C. court

Wade was incoherent when he was told to get out of the SUV, but after he woke up, he opened the door, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

He had trouble getting out of the SUV, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

Wade held onto the door and stumbled when his foot touched the ground, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

After getting out, he said that he was sorry and he was drinking, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

He had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and said he couldn't perform sobriety tests on a gravel road, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

When Wade was told his eyes were being checked for signs of intoxication, he said not on a gravel road, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

Swaying and unsteady on his feet, he refused to answer whether he was declining sobriety tests and was then put under arrest by a Young County law-enforcement officer, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

More: Judge orders Jody Wade's release from D.C. jail under 'high intensity supervision'

Wade refused to give a sample of breath or blood for an alcohol test, so he was transported to Hamilton Hospital's emergency room in Olney, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

A warrant signed by a judge was obtained to draw blood for a sample to test for alcohol levels, according to allegations in a probable cause affidavit.

Wade has been convicted of misdemeanor DWI in a Wichita County court in connection with a Nov. 9, 2017, incident.

He was originally given one year of probation on Nov. 2, 2018, but his probation was revoked after he was charged with public intoxication June 12, 2019, according to court records.

Wichita County Court-at-Law No. 2 Greg King sentenced Wade to 40 days in jail for the DWI, according to court records.

Wade, who was once building a towing empire in Texas, faces legal battles on other fronts.

In perhaps the latest chapter in his woes, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation announced Nov. 8 that Jody Wade Enterprises is not authorized to operate in Texas, according to a previous Times Record News story.

The Wichita Falls company's vehicle storage facility license was revoked, and Jody Wade Enterprises was assessed an $11,500 fine.

Wade has also been charged with hindering secured creditors of property worth $300,000 or more in connection with a May 14, 2020, incident.

The felony is punishable by up to life in prison.

Wade announced in February 2020 that he was ceasing operation of his towing company, Big Daddy’s Towing & Recovery.

Crawdaddy’s and Angus Burgers, two restaurants owned by Wade, closed in 2019.

Wade's company held a contract for towing and impound services for the Wichita Falls Police Department from 2013 until March 31, 2018, according to a previous Times Record News story.

More: Texas court rejects Jody Wade's appeal while he's jailed in D.C. on gun charge

Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news, politics and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Her Twitter handle is @Trishapedia.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Jody Wade gets new DWI charge in Young County