CHEYENNE - A Senate committee, on a 4-0 vote, endorsed a bill Wednesday night that would require jailers across the state to hold accused drunken drivers until they are sober.

The legislation is in response a gruesome crash last year in Casper involving a man who police said was driving drunk just hours after his release from jail on an earlier DUI charge.

Senate File 59 would require jailers to hold accused drunken drivers until their blood-alcohol content drops to at least .02 percent, or until they see a judge. It is illegal to drive in Wyoming with a BAC of .08 percent.

The Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee rejected an amendment, recommended by lawyers for the Legislature, that would have increased the minimum threshold for release to .08 percent.

The bill, as currently written, requires jailers to continue testing suspects at least once each hour until they reach the minimum BAC threshold.

The bill had the support of law enforcement officials who attended the committee hearing, including a spokesman for the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police.

"Catch and release is a great concept for fish in our rivers and lakes," spokesman Mike Hayes said. "It's not a good concept for DUIs."

The bill has drawn considerable interest following the Dec. 31 crash in Casper.

Police say Douglas Dean Downs, 39, of Lander struck Jeff Irene, 40, of Casper with a sport utility vehicle and dragged Irene underneath the vehicle for more than a mile.

A state trooper had earlier arrested Downs on a DUI charge with a BAC of .11 percent, court records show. After he posted bond, at around 1 a.m., Downs said he walked to a bar, consumed more alcohol and then drove to a nearby residence, court records show.

Police allege that Downs hit Irene during the short drive and found him in a ditch beside the vehicle when he reached his destination. Irene survived but suffered serious injuries. Downs faces felony charges.

Senate File 59 now moves to the full Senate for consideration.