Man facing DUI charges for "driving" lawnmower

In many cases, the events that precede an arrest for drunk driving fall along predictable lines. Individuals in South Carolina and elsewhere make a number of decisions between having a drink and operating a motor vehicle. There are instances, however, in which DUI charges can follow a different set of choices. Such may be the case for one man who finds himself facing a DUI charge after “driving” a riding lawnmower in the western United States.

The case is unusual in that not only does it involve a less traditional form of transport, but also due to the fact that the alleged “driver” was not in (or on) the vehicle when police apprehended him. According to police, multiple witnesses reported seeing a man driving a riding lawnmower down a roadway in the wrong direction. They believe that he visited two bars before being arrested and charged with DUI.

As for the man, he claims that he was trying to do a good deed by cutting weeds along the side of the roadway. When the lawnmower broke, he then went to a nearby bar. He stated that he had only had a couple of drinks before police arrived, and that he had already secured a ride home and had no plans to operate the lawnmower after drinking.

This DUI case from out west will be interesting to follow, in that it presents a number of legal challenges. For one, whether the man was riding the mower on or alongside a roadway could become an issue. Additionally, it appears as though police did not witness the man actually operating the lawnmower, and he refused to submit to breath testing at the site of the arrest. As for anyone in South Carolina who chooses to have a couple of beers before knocking out the yard work, this story may serve as a cautionary tale.

Source: 9news.com, "Man arrested for drunk driving on a lawnmower", , July 25, 2014