Sprinkler Mishap May Have Jeopardized 4,000 Cases

Reports have indicated a sprinkler malfunction may have endangered evidence connected to more than 4,000 cases. The sprinkler went off on unexpectedly in the freezer on Tuesday, which contained mostly biological and toxicological evidence. Most of evidence associated is connected to DWI cases. There aren’t any exact numbers yet, but sources say approximately 15,000 pieces of evidence were affected. The Houston Police Department is reacting to the event as quickly as possible in conjunction with the Houston Forensic Science Center. However, local defense attorneys are still worried. Tyler Flood who is a partner at Tyler Flood & Associates, Inc. stated “Time is of the essence in something like this because there are people that are going to court every day whose evidence might be in there and might be destroyed." He goes on to say, "But they are still pleading guilty or going to trial." The Harris County District Attorney’s Office is waiting on HPD for a report on which cases were affected by the incident. After they receive the information, all defense attorneys involved will be notified.