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Most
people know the basics related to driving under the influence (DUI)
laws. The majority of citizens think that as long as they stay out of
automobiles while intoxicated, they can't fall victim to a drunk
driving charge. As one man in Florida just recently discovered,
however, it's not always necessary to be in a car to get a DUI
charge. This man, in addition to many others every day, learned that
driving a vehicle isn't necessarily a prerequisite of "driving
under the influence."
DUI on Aisle Five
February didn't start out well for one Florida man who decided he was in need of a smooth riding experience through a Walmart in Florida. The male suspect allegedly rode around the store on a motorized shopping cart while consuming an alcoholic beverage that he had taken off of a shelf. Police were alerted by employees when it became obvious what the man was doing; this, of course, couldn't have been hard to ascertain when the man started knocking things off of shelves with the cart.
Police eventually showed up and arrested the man; they also discovered that the suspect had no way of paying for the alcoholic beverage he had been drinking. The soon to be defendant also had two prior retail theft arrests on his record, and since the theft of the beer was its own individual charge, it can now be charged as a felony. This case, however, isn't the only example of people who thought it'd be safe to drink and drive in non-automobiles only to find out otherwise.
DUI on Aisle Five
February didn't start out well for one Florida man who decided he was in need of a smooth riding experience through a Walmart in Florida. The male suspect allegedly rode around the store on a motorized shopping cart while consuming an alcoholic beverage that he had taken off of a shelf. Police were alerted by employees when it became obvious what the man was doing; this, of course, couldn't have been hard to ascertain when the man started knocking things off of shelves with the cart.
Police eventually showed up and arrested the man; they also discovered that the suspect had no way of paying for the alcoholic beverage he had been drinking. The soon to be defendant also had two prior retail theft arrests on his record, and since the theft of the beer was its own individual charge, it can now be charged as a felony. This case, however, isn't the only example of people who thought it'd be safe to drink and drive in non-automobiles only to find out otherwise.
More
Unusual DUI Arrests
An Ohio man proved just how serious police are about DUIs in 2009 when he was arrested for driving a bar stool while intoxicated. He had built the stool onto a modified lawn mower and crashed while driving on public streets. The man was charged with a DUI, but other examples show that a suspect doesn't even have to be on the streets to be charged. In 2012, a Minnesota man was driving a Zamboni, an ice rink resurfacing vehicle, on the ice at an indoor hockey rink. He was discovered to have a blood alcohol content of over .30 percent, and was subsequently charged with four counts of DUI.
Drunk Driving Laws
Some people don't realize it, but there are no federally mandated DUI laws that apply to every state. All states have a .08 percent blood alcohol content level, but each state's legislators actually enacted these legal limits. Since laws will vary by state, it's absolutely essential for individuals to know the DUI laws in their specific locale. To be on the safe side, however, it's simply best to not drink and drive any vehicle whatsoever.
The penalties related to a DUI conviction are going to be the same in an area regardless of the specific circumstances. Judges will most likely look at a DUI charge involving a motorized bar stool the same as they would a pickup truck. Since most DUI laws involve some sort of mandatory jail time, the only difference between getting a DUI in a normal vehicle and a strange one is the hilarity of the story that can be told to fellow inmates. However, as a respected Orlando DUI lawyers website points out, “the case is rarely as cut-and-dried as the prosecutor will attempt to make it appear.”
While it may seem humorous that some people are arrested for DUI on the strangest of contraptions, the penalties of a drunk driving conviction are no laughing matter. A person can face fines, jail time, probation and even the loss of their license; this is obviously ironic since a driver's license isn't even necessary to drive some of the previously mentioned "vehicles." The most important thing that anyone can do is refrain from operating any mode of transportation after drinking too much.
An Ohio man proved just how serious police are about DUIs in 2009 when he was arrested for driving a bar stool while intoxicated. He had built the stool onto a modified lawn mower and crashed while driving on public streets. The man was charged with a DUI, but other examples show that a suspect doesn't even have to be on the streets to be charged. In 2012, a Minnesota man was driving a Zamboni, an ice rink resurfacing vehicle, on the ice at an indoor hockey rink. He was discovered to have a blood alcohol content of over .30 percent, and was subsequently charged with four counts of DUI.
Drunk Driving Laws
Some people don't realize it, but there are no federally mandated DUI laws that apply to every state. All states have a .08 percent blood alcohol content level, but each state's legislators actually enacted these legal limits. Since laws will vary by state, it's absolutely essential for individuals to know the DUI laws in their specific locale. To be on the safe side, however, it's simply best to not drink and drive any vehicle whatsoever.
The penalties related to a DUI conviction are going to be the same in an area regardless of the specific circumstances. Judges will most likely look at a DUI charge involving a motorized bar stool the same as they would a pickup truck. Since most DUI laws involve some sort of mandatory jail time, the only difference between getting a DUI in a normal vehicle and a strange one is the hilarity of the story that can be told to fellow inmates. However, as a respected Orlando DUI lawyers website points out, “the case is rarely as cut-and-dried as the prosecutor will attempt to make it appear.”
While it may seem humorous that some people are arrested for DUI on the strangest of contraptions, the penalties of a drunk driving conviction are no laughing matter. A person can face fines, jail time, probation and even the loss of their license; this is obviously ironic since a driver's license isn't even necessary to drive some of the previously mentioned "vehicles." The most important thing that anyone can do is refrain from operating any mode of transportation after drinking too much.
Legal
researcher Shelby Warden writes articles to raise awareness of new
legal issues. The Orlando
DUI lawyers
of Katz & Phillips, PA know how many things can go wrong during a
DUI arrest and they also know what to do when nothing goes wrong.
Their aggressive DUI attorneys fight hard to make sure their client’s
arrest does not ruin the rest of their life.
