Drivers on a busy Florida freeway had been in for a shock when police pulled over an intoxicated man behind the wheel — of a garden mower.
Calls started flooding into the Florida Freeway Patrol of a person erratically driving a garden mower down Suncoast Parkway at round 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Fox 13 reported.
A trooper then arrived on scene about 20 minutes later and located driver Christopher Spain, 38, sitting on the mower on the shoulder of the freeway.
The Florida Freeway Patrol said that the trooper instantly noticed indicators of impairment in Spain, together with pinpoint pupils, flushed pores and skin, a dry mouth, and irritation on the within of his nostril.
The alleged drunk driver additionally saved sniffling, spitting and clearing his throat whereas speaking with the officer.
The trooper then tried to present him a discipline sobriety check a number of occasions, however Spain wasn’t having it and have become uncooperative after the third try.
Spain was then arrested and charged with driving below the affect.
He was booked into the Hernando County Jail and was launched Friday afternoon on $500 bond, Fox 13 reported.
Spain isn’t the primary Floridian to be charged with a DUI whereas working a garden mower.
Paul Burke was arrested whereas driving a driving garden mower in the midst of a freeway in Marion County in 2020.
A video of the incident reveals Burke — who already had three earlier DUI convictions — telling a Marion County Sheriff’s Workplace deputy that he has “no driver’s license in any respect.”
He then instructed the deputy that discipline sobriety exams wouldn’t be obligatory as a result of he had been consuming earlier than briefly attempting to carry out the workouts.
Burke was arrested for DUI and brought to the Marion County Jail.
In 2017, a Port St. Lucie Police officer arrested Kenneth Burton Alleshouse after he was pulled over whereas driving his crimson Snapper garden mower down US Freeway 1 whereas carrying a case of Budweiser beer.
The officer who pulled over Alleshouse stated they clearly detected the scent of alcohol whereas talking with him.
Authorities examined the suspect’s blood alcohol stage, and whereas they didn’t launch the precise quantity, they did say it was thrice above the authorized restrict.
Alleshouse was arrested for DUI and brought to the St. Lucie County Jail.
In keeping with Florida legislation, a “automobile” is “each gadget by which an individual could be transported or drawn upon a freeway,” together with garden mowers, golf carts, ATVs, and bicycles.
In Florida, the authorized blood alcohol restrict is .08% for drivers working any automobile as outlined by state legislation — together with garden mowers.
