A Montgomery County police officer who was repeatedly recognized for his work targeting impaired drivers now faces a DWI charge of his own. 

Officer Zachery Castanon, with the Oak Ridge North Police Department, was arrested Sunday after a colleague noticed an odor of alcohol coming from Castanon as he was reporting for duty, according to a statement released by the City of Oak Ridge North. 

The officer who detected the odor immediately notified a supervisor. The supervising sergeant then contacted the Texas Department of Public Safety and requested an independent investigation. 

Castanon was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on charges of driving while intoxicated and has since been terminated from his position, according to city officials. 

The arrest marks a dramatic reversal for Castanon, who had been publicly recognized on numerous occasions for his efforts to identify and arrest impaired drivers. 
 
“The actions of one individual do not reflect the professionalism, integrity, and dedication demonstrated daily by the men and women of the Oak Ridge North Police Department,” according to a media statement released Monday morning. 

Castanon joined the department in 2022 and was frequently highlighted on the department’s social media pages for his work combating drunk driving. 
In June 2024, Castanon received an award from the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Houston chapter titled the “Distinguished Enforcement Hero award” during the group’s annual luncheon. 

“Earlier today, Officer Castanon was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) at their annual luncheon in Houston for his dedication and determination in removing impaired drivers from our highways and roadways,” a Facebook post from Oak Ridge PD states. 

According to MADD’s website, the award is given to an individual who has established the most DWI arrests within their department. At the time, Castanon had achieved a record of 66 impaired driving arrests. 

Officer Castanon also received recognition as an “exemplary DWI officer” at the Vehicular Crimes Award ceremony by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office in February 2025. 

“Today at the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office our very own Officer Castanon was recognized for his exemplary actions in combating intoxicated drivers,” a statement from Oak Ridge PD reads. 

Chron has reached out to both the Montgomery County DA’s office and the MADD Houston chapter for comment and has not heard back as of press time. 

Throughout his four years in service in Oak Ridge, Castanon became one of the top-earning police officers and received a 10.8 percent raise in 2025, according to open government salary records. 

At this time, the case remains under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety. 

“The City of Oak Ridge North is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, accountability, and public trust within its Police Department,” the Oak Ridge media statement reads.