The Harris County treasurer, who safeguards Houston-area public funds, was arrested for breaking into a car.
Carla Wyatt, 55, was arrested on December 27 for “burglary of a vehicle,” per court records obtained by The Dallas Express. According to her office’s website, she is “the chief custodian of all Harris County funds.”
Wyatt was released on a $100 bond. According to her office’s website, Wyatt also sits on the county Bail Bond Board. Her first court date is set for January 2, and Judge Shannon Baldwin is overseeing the case.
The Dallas Express reached out to Wyatt’s office for comment, but did not hear back in time for publication.
In 2023, Wyatt was also charged with driving while intoxicated, according to court records. The case was ultimately dismissed.
Wyatt’s office is tasked with receiving and issuing all of Harris County’s money, according to the agency’s website.
“We reconcile all county funds bank statements to ensure their accuracy and the safety of county funds,” the website reads.
The Charges
Officers with the Houston Police Department responded to a vehicle burglary call around noon at 5922 Washington Ave., according to Covering Katy News. This was outside the “Forget Me Not” cocktail bar.
The vehicle’s owner told police she parked her Toyota Sienna minivan along the street around 9:55 a.m., and it was unlocked due to a malfunctioning mechanism. She returned around 11:50 a.m., and allegedly found Wyatt in the van.
Witnesses opened the minivan’s doors and asked Wyatt to step out, the arrest warrant reads, per Covering Katy. They told police they saw her moving objects out of the minivan.
Officers questioned Wyatt, and she allegedly claimed the owner gave her consent – then admitted the conversation never happened.
“The defendant added that she didn’t do anything wrong and only sat in the complainant’s vehicle,” the warrant reads, per Covering Katy.
Assistant District Attorney Gilbert Sawtelle claims Wyatt “did then and there unlawfully, with intent to commit theft, break into and enter a vehicle… without any consent of any kind,” according to the complaint obtained by The Dallas Express.
Carla Wyatt Arrested For Vehicle Burglary Image by Houston Police Department
A Houston police media representative declined to comment.
Driving While Intoxicated?
Houston police also arrested Wyatt for driving while intoxicated in 2023, according to a criminal complaint also obtained by The Dallas Express.
Officers arrested Wyatt at 10:27 p.m. on December 22, 2023, for driving while intoxicated. At the time, a breathalyzer showed an alcohol concentration of 0.15% – while the legal limit is .08%.
Assistant District Attorney Patrick Stayton initially claimed Wyatt “did then and there unlawfully, operate a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated,” according to the complaint.
Wyatt was booked in the Harris County Jail, but was released on January 2, 2024, on a $100 bond, according to court documents. Baldwin also oversaw this case.
Assistant District Attorney Hector Garza moved to dismiss the case on August 15, 2025, citing Wyatt’s completion of a “pre-trial intervention” program, according to a motion obtained by The Dallas Express. The case was dismissed the same day.
