Court Opinion

ID: 9681208
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:46:05.469818+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:32.674829
License: Public Domain

ON appellant's motion for rehearing
WOODLEY, Presiding Judge
The facts adduced at the hearing on appellant’s motion for new trial are now before us. We are asked to consider such facts in connection with appellant’s brief.
The contention is that the county court was without jurisdiction to try appellant because he had been previously convicted of the misdemeanor offense of driving while intoxicated, in Smith County, and under Art. 802b V.A.P.C. it was mandatory that a subsequent offense of driving while intoxicated be prosecuted by indictment in a court having jurisdiction of felony offenses.
Winfrey v. Chandler, (Sup. Ct.) 318 S.W. 2d 59, cited and relied upon, does not support appellant’s contention. The Supreme Court of Texas found it unnecessary to decide the question.
This court held in Coker v. State, 158 Tex. Cr. R. 141, 253 S.W. 2d 668, that the information which contained no allegation of a prior conviction charged the misdemeanor offense of driving while intoxicated, over which the county court had jurisdiction.
We held in McKenzie v. State, 159 Tex. Cr. R. 345, 263 S.W. 2d 562, that the misdemeanor offense of driving while intoxicated is on offense included within the allegations of an indictment for the felony offense of driving while intoxicated, subsequent offense.
It is well settled that an accused cannot complain that he was charged, tried or convicted for a lesser included offense rather than the higher or greater offense. See Grimes v. State, 71 Tex. Cr. R. 614, 160 S.W. 689; Heard v. State, 160 Tex. Cr. R. 88, 267 *595S.W. 2d 150; Saenz v. State, 161 Tex. Cr. R. 145, 275 S.W. 2d 497; Carr v. State, 158 Tex. Cr. R. 337, 255 S.W. 2d 870.
Appellant’s contention is without merit for the further reason that his conviction in Smith County did not occur until after the Angelina County offense here charged had been committed.
Appellant’s motion for rehearing is overruled.