Drunk Man on Horseback Tries to Flee From Police
Posted in General on January 12, 2015
A Florida police officer responded to a dispatch report of that a drunk man was riding horseback through town. After the officer activated his overhead lights, the drunk man reared up the horse and took flight. The man road the horse for approximately 30 minutes, the man jumped off the exhausted horse and was readily apprehended by the police. The 29-year old man was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Resisting Arrest, and Cruelty to Animals. According to the report, the man had a prior DUI charge, so maybe he was riding the horse as his license was suspended because of the DUI.
Riding a Horse Could be a State College DUI
Had this incident occurred in State College, charges of DUI and Fleeing and Eluding would have been filed with the State College court. In Pennsylvania, a charge of DUI is justified if a person operates a “vehicle” on a roadway or trafficway. While you would not expect that a horse be a “vehicle,” the phrase actually includes any device upon which a person can be transported. I have provided representation in prior State College DUI cases involving Penn State students riding bikes, and Pennsylvania residents have probably heard of Amish being charged with DUI when operating buggies. I have even heard of DUIs being filed based upon a person riding a lawn mower on a roadway.
As if being charged with a DUI were not bad enough, some people make the mistake of trying to get away from the police and are then charged with Fleeing and Eluding. In Pennsylvania, a charge of Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer is generally a misdemeanor offense, however, if the person is also charged with DUI, then the Fleeing and Eluding charge is graded as a felony offense. This means that the suspect ran to avoid a misdemeanor DUI charge, and the decision to run resulted in a felony Fleeing and Eluding charge.
If you are charged with DUI, Marijuana Possession, Furnishing Alcohol to Minors, Fake ID, or other criminal offense, contact State College criminal defense attorney Jason S. Dunkle for a free consultation.