To the list of police officers overreacting when they see persons operating vehicles that can barely be described as vehicles, under the influence, you can now add officers in Minnesota. Cops there arrested a 34-year-old man, for driving his Zamboni while intoxicated.
The 34-year-old man was operating the Zamboni, which is an ice resurfacing machine. Witnesses at the scene said that they saw the Zamboni careening across the ice, and bouncing off the sidewalk.
When police officers responded to the scene, they saw the man at the ice rink, operating the Zamboni. When the officers approached the man, they smelled alcohol, and found that the man was unsteady on his feet. Officers administered a field sobriety test, and the man was then taken to the police station where he was subjected to a blood alcohol test.
The last time that San Diego DUI lawyers can remember a Zamboni being involved in a DUI was back in 2005. In that incident, a 63-year-old man in New Jersey was arrested for driving a Zamboni under the influence of alcohol at a rink. However, in that case, the judge dismissed the charges, because he believed that the Zamboni was not a motor vehicle. He based this decision on the presumption that the Zamboni cannot carry passengers, and cannot be used on roadways like other vehicles can, and therefore, does not meet the defining criteria for a motor vehicle.
In recent years, law enforcement officers have pulled over persons for operating a number of vehicles under the influence. There have been a number of amusing but frustrating instances where persons have been arrested for driving lawnmowers, beer coolers, and even a motorized recliner under the influence.