Woman on Horseback Charged With DUI

calloway

Active member
Feb 25, 2003
13,473
0
36
Luv Natural Redheads
Yes to a public nuisance or being drunk in a public place... but DUI with a horse? :p

The Associated Press
SYLVANIA, Ala. - A woman who went for a horseback ride through town at midnight and allegedly used the horse to ram a police car was charged with driving under the influence and drug offenses, police said Tuesday.

"Cars were passing by having to avoid it, and almost hitting the horse," said Police Chief Brad Gregg.

He said DUI charges can apply even when the vehicle has four legs instead of wheels.

Police in the northeast Alabama town received a call around midnight Saturday about someone riding a horse on a city street, Gregg said.

Officer John Seals found Melissa Byrum York, 40, of Henagar on horseback on a nearby road and attempted to stop her. Seals asked the woman repeatedly to get off the horse, but she kept trying to kick the animal to make it run, the chief said.

"She wouldn't stop. She kept riding the horse and going on," Gregg said.

After ramming the police car with the horse and riding away, the woman tried to jump off but caught her foot in a stirrup, Gregg said. The officer took the woman into custody and discovered that she had crystal methamphetamine, a small amount of marijuana, pills and a small pipe, the chief said.

York was charged with DUI for allegedly riding the horse under the influence of a controlled substance. She was also charged with drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, assault, attempting to elude police and cruelty to animals.

Gregg said the horse, which belonged to York, "wasn't in the best of health, but it's still alive."

York was released from the DeKalb County Jail on $4,000 bond and was being transferred to the jail in Jackson County, where authorities had a warrant for her arrest on unrelated charges, Gregg said.

Jackson County officials said Tuesday that York had yet to be booked, and there were no records indicating whether she had a lawyer.
 

Aardvark154

New member
Jan 19, 2006
53,761
3
0
calloway said:
Yes to a public nuisance or being drunk in a public place... but DUI with a horse?

The Associated Press
SYLVANIA, Ala. - A woman who went for a horseback ride through town at midnight and allegedly used the horse to ram a police car was charged with driving under the influence and drug offenses, police said Tuesday.

[Police Chief Brad Gregg] said DUI charges can apply even when the vehicle has four legs instead of wheels.
There must be some nuance to Alabama drunk driving law that we "Northerners" just don't grasp, since the very first line of the Alabama Statute is "(a) A person shall not drive or be in actual physical control of any vehicle while:" and the statute § 32-5A-191(a)(1) doesn’t mention anything about riding a horse. Therefore presuming the Chief of Police is correct it must hinge on the (pretty strange) definition of a “vehicle” in Alabama. I agree with Calloway I can see Public Intoxication, Endangering an Animal, and Interfering with Governmental Administration among others but DUI?
 
Mar 19, 2006
8,767
0
0
Sometime ago I heard a story of a guy getting nabbed with DUI in a golf cart. On the course they were playing they had to cross the road to get to the next tee and the coppers were waiting for them.

I don't know if it was true though.

I've also heard of people getting nabbed while riding a bike (not motor).
 

Aardvark154

New member
Jan 19, 2006
53,761
3
0
lookingforitallthetime said:
Sometime ago I heard a story of a guy getting nabbed with DUI in a golf cart. On the course they were playing they had to cross the road to get to the next tee and the coppers were waiting for them.

I don't know if it was true though.

I've also heard of people getting nabbed while riding a bike (not motor).
The difference between those and the horse is that in many jurisdictions a golf cart meets the definition of a motor vehicle. Likewise in many jurisdictions the rider of a bicycle is by law required to obey all motor vehicle laws or some such language.
 

friendz4evr

Active member
Oct 16, 2002
1,434
10
38
Two elements required for a DUI are a motorized vehicle and use of a public highway. A smart lawyer will be abe to get that lady off.
 

Adrenalin

Banned
Sep 19, 2006
649
0
0
59
calloway said:
A woman who went for a horseback ride through town at midnight and allegedly used the horse to ram a police car was charged with driving under the influence and drug offenses, police said Tuesday.[/I]

I marvel at the possibility of ramming something with a horse; is this possible? After all a horse has two eyes and can feel pain and I would have thought would not be too keen on the idea.
 

calloway

Active member
Feb 25, 2003
13,473
0
36
Luv Natural Redheads
Adrenalin said:
I marvel at the possibility of ramming something with a horse; is this possible? After all a horse has two eyes and can feel pain and I would have thought would not be too keen on the idea.
Maybe the horse was pissed as well... but the police couldn't press charges. :p
 
Toronto Escorts