DUI by Horse & Buggy: Again, Just about Any Vehicle Counts
In case there's been some confusion, operating just about any type of vehicle while intoxicated generally counts as driving under the influence.
In Pennsylvania, a drunk Amish man found slumped over asleep in his horse & buggy provides yet another illustration of this rule.
In some places, states use phrases like "operating a motorized vehicle," while others use "operating a wheeled vehicle." Some states have added riding a animal while intoxicated as part of the DUI law.
Philly.com reports, that police in central Pennsylvania arrested 22-year-old Elmer Stoltzfoos Fisher on drunk driving charges.
An off-duty police officer reported seeing the horse pulling the buggy at a walking pace as it straddled the center line.
Fisher's breathalyzer test showed Fisher's blood-alcohol content was 0.18, more than twice the 0.08 legal threshold for drunken driving, police said. This applies even when driving a horse & buggy
Dennis LeRoy Anderson and his infamous drive home in what was reported as a "motorized La-Z-Boy," is another example of a type of vehicle in which one can get a DUI. On FindLaw's Blotter, we discussed how he crashed his motorized lounger into a parked car.
His "DWI chair" was later auctioned by police on eBay to an unnamed bidder for $10,099.99.
And even should one avaid a DUI charge, there remains DUI's cousin, the public intoxication charge. Take the case of a Tennessee woman who fell asleep atop the horse she rode in the Shelbyville Christmas parade.
The Associated Press reports, that a 46-year-old woman was found slumped over on her horse outside a motel.
Police said they had been notified of a possibly intoxicated rider in a red coat on a white horse in the parade.
Officers said they had to catch her twice to keep her from falling.
The woman has posted $500 bond on a charge of public intoxication.
- Man Gets DUI After Crashing Motorized Barstool: Can Any Vehicle Qualify for a DUI? (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Armchair DUI: Yes, Almost Any Vehicle Counts (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Ohio man seeks trial over getting DUI on motorized barstool (CNN)