When most people think of drunk driving, they think of driving a car. However, there are other vehicles that can get you drunk driving charges. Sometimes, those vehicles are a little less than conventional. Here’s a look at some of the strangest vehicles in which people were caught driving under the influence.
Driving Under the Influence in Strange Vehicles
Whether you drive a car, boat, or lawn mower, you need to be cautious when driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. But you also need to be cautious while driving under the influence on other vehicles. Here’s a look at some of the weirdest vehicles drunk drivers attempted to drive:
1. Zamboni
At a peewee hockey game, the players had some unexpected live entertainment. For about 20 minutes, Joel Keith Bruss drove around on his Zamboni. Instead of cleaning the ice, he bumped into the walls and drove recklessly. One of the coaches called the police to the scene. When they arrived, they arrested Bruss for a DUI.
The incident occurred in Minnesota, where driving a vehicle while drunk is against the law. Because a Zamboni meets the definition of a vehicle, Bruss was guilty. This wasn’t the drivers first brush with the law. In the past, he had two other DUI convictions. However, none of them were on vehicles as odd as a Zamboni.
2. Motorized Wheelchair
In an odd incident, a man faced charges for driving under the influence on a motorized wheelchair. However, the wheelchair was not his own. Raymond Kulma fought with a man in a wheelchair, then stole it. Although Kulma tried to evade police, the wheelchair was too slow. When the police caught him, they realized that he was drunk. Kulma received his seventh DUI charge.
3. Ride-on Mower
Don’t mow your lawn drunk. At the very least, don’t try to drive it down the street. James Gray learned that lesson the hard way. After having almost one whole case of beer, Gray drove his mower about three miles along the wrong side of the road. According to Gray, he thought he was riding on the grass. This didn’t prevent him from facing DUI charges. Police arrested and charged him with his strange DUI.
4. Horse
In some states, riding drunk on a horse can land you a DUI. After a five hour ride through a North Florida town, Charles Cowart ran into some police. Prior to meeting them, Cowart went through several intersections and ignored traffic signals. Along the way, he managed to block cars and a train from getting where they needed to go. When the police caught up to the shirtless cowboy, they charged him with a DUI.
Cowart isn’t the only one to face DUI charges for riding a horse. In Pennsylvania, an Amish man slept in a buggy while his horse pulled him down the center of a road. After seeing the uncontrolled horse and buggy, an officer pulled the vehicle over. To his surprise, the driver reeked of alcohol and was slumped over. The incident was enough to get him a DUI.
5. Inflatable raft
Sometimes, the law is up to interpretation. Unfortunately, that interpretation does not always make sense. This was the case in an Alaska DUI. After a day out on his inflatable raft, one Alaska man had too much to drink. He tried to recover in his watercraft. However, a police officer spotted him. When he administered a breathalyzer, the officer found that the man was over four times the legal limit. Despite the seemingly innocent situation, the officer charged the man with a DUI.
What Vehicles Can You Get a DUI In?
DUI laws vary by state. In some states, there is room for interpretation of the DUI vehicle laws. For example, the law could state that it’s illegal to operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The term vehicle is not concrete. In some cases, like the Alaska inflatable raft incident, the police officer and court can interpret the law in their own way. Despite driving a vehicle without a motor, you could get a DUI charge.
Other states offer more concrete definitions for driving under the influence. In some areas, you can’t drive a motorized vehicle under the influence. Driving anything with a motor could get you a DUI charge. This includes a ride-on lawn mower, a motorized cooler, or any other odd vehicle. Whether you get a DUI depends on the police officer and your state’s laws.
Usually, you can get a DUI for driving anything with a motor or a drive train. However, you should be familiar with your own state’s laws. If you’re not, you could end up on the list of the strangest DUI vehicles. As funny as your DUI incident might seem to others, it’s no laughing matter for you. The stakes are high. Without an experienced lawyer, you could be looking at a lifetime of consequences. If you are charged with a DUI call The Law Office of Chad F Bank today at 401-573-2265. Our office is conveniently located in Downtown Providence.
