How Much Does Bail Cost for Resisting Arrest, Evading Police, or Failure to ID?
Southern Bail Bonds is a local Dallas County bail bondsman that helps families get their loved ones out of jail on obstruction charges, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If somebody you know just got arrested for running from the cops, resisting arrest, giving a fake name, or interfering with police in Dallas, the first thing you need to know is what bail is going to cost. Based on Dallas County court records, bail for Texas Penal Code Chapter 38 obstruction charges usually falls somewhere between $100 to $25,000, depending on the specific charge.
Most of these are on the lower end. You typically pay a fee of around 10% of the bail amount and Southern Bail Bonds covers the rest. We work with you on payments and don’t run your credit.
Most bail bonds companies will take your money, but getting someone out fast takes experience. Southern Bail Bonds has been working Dallas County courts for over 30 years. We know the judges, we know the process at Lew Sterrett and the city jails, and we know how to move. Most of our clients are out the same day, many within a few hours of the bond being posted.
Obstruction and Evasion Bail Amounts in Dallas County
Here’s what bail looks like depending on the charge.
| Charge | Classification | Typical Bail Range |
|---|---|---|
| Failure to ID (False Info) | Class B Misdemeanor | $500 – $1,500 |
| Interference with Public Duties | Class B Misdemeanor | $500 – $1,000 |
| Failure to ID (Fugitive) | Class A Misdemeanor | $100 – $4,000 |
| Resisting Arrest | Class A Misdemeanor | $200 – $10,000 |
| Evading Arrest (On Foot) | Class A Misdemeanor | $500 – $5,000 |
| Evading Arrest (Vehicle) | State Jail Felony | $1,500 – $10,000 |
| Escape (Felony Custody) | 3rd Degree Felony | ~$25,000 |
These ranges come from Dallas County court records. Judges have discretion under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 17.15, so individual amounts vary.
How Much Is Bail for Giving a Fake Name to Police in Dallas?
There are two versions of this charge, and which one you get depends on whether you had a warrant out at the time.
Standard Failure to ID (Sec. 38.02(b)): If you gave a cop a fake name, address, or date of birth during a lawful arrest or detention, that’s a Class B misdemeanor. The formal charge reads: “A person commits an offense if he intentionally gives a false or fictitious name, residence address, or date of birth to a peace officer who has lawfully arrested the person or lawfully detained the person.”
Failure to ID as a Fugitive (Sec. 38.02(d)): Same thing, but if you had an active warrant out when it happened, the charge jumps up. Under Sec. 38.02(d)(2), it becomes a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000. This is the version Dallas County courts see far more often.
| Version | Classification | Typical Bail |
|---|---|---|
| False/Fictitious Info (38.02(c)) | Class B Misdemeanor | $500 – $1,500 |
| Fugitive + False Info (38.02(d)) | Class A Misdemeanor | $500 – $4,000 |
The fugitive version is much more common in Dallas County. Bail is typically set between $1,000 and $3,500, with $2,500 being the median. The standard version (no warrant) usually comes in lower, around $500 to $1,000. This charge almost always shows up alongside other charges like evading arrest, DWI, or drug possession.
How Much Is Bail for Resisting Arrest in Dallas?
If someone physically struggled with, pushed, or fought a police officer during an arrest, that’s resisting arrest. Texas Penal Code Sec. 38.03(a) defines it: “A person commits an offense if he intentionally prevents or obstructs a person he knows is a peace officer or a person acting in a peace officer’s presence and at his direction from effecting an arrest, search, or transportation of the actor or another by using force against the peace officer or another.”
One thing that surprises people: under Sec. 38.03(b), “it is no defense to prosecution under this section that the arrest or search was unlawful.” Even if the arrest turns out to be illegal, resisting it is still a crime.
Resisting arrest is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000. If the person uses a deadly weapon while resisting, it jumps to a 3rd degree felony (2 to 10 years in prison).
| Stat | Amount |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $200 |
| Median | $2,250 |
| Maximum | $10,000 |
Bail for resisting arrest varies widely in Dallas County. The lower amounts ($200 to $1,000) typically appeared when it was the only charge or paired with minor offenses. The $10,000 cases involved more serious companion charges like assaulting a peace officer.
How Much Is Bail for Running from the Police in Dallas?
Running from the cops is called “evading arrest” under Texas law. Sec. 38.04(a) defines it: “A person commits an offense if he intentionally flees from a person he knows is a peace officer or federal special investigator attempting lawfully to arrest or detain him.”
The classification depends on how you ran and whether you have a prior record:
- On foot, no priors: Class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail)
- On foot, prior conviction: State jail felony (180 days to 2 years)
- In a vehicle: State jail felony (180 days to 2 years)
- In a vehicle, prior conviction: 3rd degree felony (2 to 10 years)
- Someone is seriously injured during the chase: 3rd degree felony
- Someone dies during the chase: 2nd degree felony (2 to 20 years)
| Version | Classification | Typical Bail |
|---|---|---|
| Evading on Foot | Class A Misdemeanor | $500 – $5,000 |
| Evading with Vehicle | State Jail Felony | $1,500 – $10,000 |
Running on foot had a median bail of $4,000 in Dallas County, with $5,000 being the most common amount. Evading in a vehicle carries higher bail because it’s a felony and involves much greater risk. The median for vehicle evasion was $3,000, but amounts ranged up to $10,000.
How Much Is Bail for Interfering with Police in Dallas?
If someone gets in the way of a cop, firefighter, or paramedic doing their job, that’s interference with public duties. Sec. 38.15(a) covers it: “A person commits an offense if the person with criminal negligence interrupts, disrupts, impedes, or otherwise interferes with a peace officer while the peace officer is performing a duty or exercising authority imposed or granted by law.” It also applies to firefighters, EMS workers, animal control officers, and public health inspectors.
This is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in county jail and a fine up to $2,000. Under Sec. 38.15(d), “it is a defense to prosecution under this section that the interruption, disruption, impediment, or interference alleged consisted of speech only.” Yelling at a cop isn’t enough to be charged, but physically getting in the way is.
| Stat | Amount |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $500 |
| Median | $1,000 |
| Maximum | $1,000 |
Bail for this charge is very consistent in Dallas County. Three out of four cases were set at exactly $1,000.
What About Other Obstruction Charges?
Escape from Felony Custody (Sec. 38.06(c)): Defined as escaping from custody “when the person is under arrest for, charged with, or convicted of a felony” or “confined or lawfully detained in a secure correctional facility or law enforcement facility.” This is a 3rd degree felony (2 to 10 years in prison). It can go up to a 2nd degree felony if someone is injured during the escape, or a 1st degree felony if there’s serious injury or a deadly weapon involved. In the cases we reviewed, bail was set at $25,000. Your amount could be higher or lower.
Evading Arrest with Prior Conviction (Sec. 38.04(b)(1)): Running from police on foot with a prior evading conviction. This is a state jail felony (180 days to 2 years). We saw bail set at $2,500 for this charge in the cases we reviewed.
Resisting Arrest with a Deadly Weapon (Sec. 38.03(d)): Same as standard resisting arrest, but using a deadly weapon elevates it to a 3rd degree felony (2 to 10 years). No cases with this specific charge appeared in our sample, but bail would be significantly higher than the standard resisting arrest amount.
Why Is My Bail Amount Different From Someone Else’s?
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 17.15 requires judges to consider 7 factors when setting bail:
- The defendant’s ability to pay
- The nature of the offense and circumstances
- The defendant’s criminal history
- Whether the defendant poses a safety risk
- The defendant’s ties to the community (employment, family, length of residence)
- Whether the defendant is a U.S. citizen
- Any prior failures to appear in court
Bail isn’t a fixed number for any charge. Two people arrested for resisting arrest can receive very different amounts. With obstruction charges, bail is heavily influenced by what other charges come along with it. Someone arrested for evading on foot with no other charges might get $1,000, but if they also have an outstanding felony warrant, bail could jump to $5,000 or higher.
Can They Deny Bail for Obstruction Charges in Dallas?
Bail denial is rare for Chapter 38 charges because most are misdemeanors. In the cases we reviewed, bail was denied in only 1 case out of 54, and that involved a fugitive failure-to-ID charge paired with a drug possession charge.
Under Texas Proposition 3 (effective January 1, 2026), judges can deny bail for defendants charged with violent offenses who are already out on bail for another felony. While most obstruction charges don’t qualify as violent offenses, felony-level charges like vehicular evasion or escape could trigger denial if the defendant is already out on felony bail.
Bail can also be denied for:
- Capital murder cases
- Felony offenses committed while on bail for a prior felony (under Art. I, Sec. 11c of the Texas Constitution)
- Violations of bond conditions on previous felony charges
What If Bail Is Too High? Can It Be Lowered?
If bail is set higher than you can afford, a defense attorney can file a motion to reduce bail under Article 17.15. The attorney argues that the bail amount is excessive based on the defendant’s circumstances: income, employment, community ties, and lack of flight risk.
Bail reduction hearings are common in Dallas County. They don’t guarantee a lower amount, but they’re worth pursuing when bail creates an unreasonable financial burden.
Source: Dallas County court records
Need Help Posting Bail for an Obstruction Charge in Dallas?
Southern Bail Bonds posts bail bonds for all obstruction and evasion charges in Dallas County, from misdemeanor failure-to-ID to felony escape. Licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance (Dallas County License #258, BBB A+ rated), our agents are available 24/7 and can process your bond by phone.
You don’t need the full bail amount. With a bail bond, you pay a percentage of the bail (typically 10%) and Southern Bail Bonds posts the rest. Flexible payment plans are available with no credit check required.
Call (214) 372-2500 Now – Agents standing by across from Lew Sterrett Justice Center
If you enjoyed this article, check out these other articles regarding cost of bail bonds:
How Much is Bail for Drug Possession?
How Much is Bail for Burglary and B/E?