An Indiana man was arrested for driving his lawn mower while intoxicated. As reported in USA Today, Barry Ridge drove his riding lawnmower onto someone else’s lawn and started mowing the grass. He then headed down the road. Once stopped by the police, they observed his eyes to be “glassy” and gave him a breath test. He registered .189%.
The truly amazing fact is that this is the second time Ridge has been arrested for driving his lawnmower while under the influence. His other case is still pending.
In case you are wondering–yes, a lawn mower is considered a motor vehicle in many, if not most, states. A general rule is that if the vehicle is self-propelled, it qualifies for purposes of driving under the influence (DUI or DWI). In fact, in some states, a person may violate the law even if the vehicle is not self-propelled. For instances, some courts have convicted impaired persons while riding a horse or bicycle!
About the Author: Steven Oberman has been licensed in Tennessee since 1980, and successfully defended over 2,500 DUI defendants. Among the many honors bestowed upon him, Steve served as Dean of the National College for DUI Defense, Inc. (NCDD) and currently serves as chair of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers DUI Committee. Steve was the first lawyer in Tennessee to be Board Certified as a DUI Defense Specialist by the NCDD.
He is the author of DUI: The Crime & Consequences in Tennessee, updated annually since 1991 (Thomson-West), and co-author with Lawrence Taylor of the national treatise, Drunk Driving Defense, 8th edition (Wolters Kluwer/Aspen). Steve has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee Law School since 1993 and has received a number of prestigious awards for his faculty contributions. He is a popular international speaker, having spoken at legal seminars in over 30 states, the District of Columbia and three foreign countries.
If you would like to contact the author, please visit: http://www.tndui.com
