Posted in Uncategorized on April 24, 2013
The short answer is, yes you can.
The Tahlequah Daily Press is reporting that police arrested a man on Monday for driving a lawn mower down the road while intoxicated. According to reports, Herbert King was riding the mower up and down the street at 12:30 a.m. Police responded and described King as “very intoxicated.” They arrested him for driving under the influence.
While people generally associate DUI stops and arrests with driving a car or truck under the influence of alcohol, the DUI statute is written more broadly. Under Oklahoma law, the state can charge a person with DUI for operating a “motor vehicle” upon any public roadway. See 47 O.S. Sec. 11-902A.
The key phrase that allows police to arrest a person for DUI while riding a lawn mower is “motor vehicle.” Although most people associate the phrase “motor vehicle” with a car, truck or motorcycle, the statutory definition includes “[a]ny vehicle that is self-propelled,” which would include a riding lawn mower.
By riding the lawn mower upon a public roadway, Mr. King placed himself within the scope of Oklahoma’s DUI laws. Had Mr. King remained in a driveway or in his yard while riding lawn mower, the DUI statute would not apply.
If you have questions about DUI laws in Oklahoma, contact the attorneys at Bryan & Terrill, 918-935-2777
More here: Man arrested for DUI on lawnmower