Posted on 08/10/2010 11:44:53 AM PDT by deoetdoctrinae
OLIVER SPRINGS - A Clinton man was arrested for his fifth drunken-driving offense Sunday afternoon. His lawnmower was taken to the impound lot.
The arresting deputy knew that Lonnie Michael Haney, 46, had had his driver's license revoked when he recognized the serial offender driving a John Deere riding mower southbound along the shoulder of the northbound lane on Tri-County Boulevard, according to the Anderson County Sheriff's Office incident report.
Haney allegedly had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, red glossy eyes, slurred speech and appeared unsteady on his feet, the report states. He failed a subsequent sobriety test.
Once arrested and seat-belted into the back seat of the deputy's cruiser, Haney also was outfitted with a helmet, the report notes, after he began banging his head against the inside of the vehicle.
He now is charged with felony DUI, driving on a revoked license and violation of the implied consent law, ACSO Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said.
(Excerpt) Read more at knoxnews.com ...
True as long as it is properly marked and has lights {I'm talking about a tractor here}. There are roads in this county I would not think of taking a mower on. You'll get yourself or someone killed doing so. This man however was not in an agriculture district. That stretch of hiway is a commercial/business area meaning stores, shops, etc.
It takes a court order IIRC and the person has to be an immediate risk of danger to self or others. The laws are so bad that if a family member needs immediate mental health help and refuses or can not sign for it you as a family member can not sign either. The State Mobile Crisis Team is called in and can do a 72 hour committal I think. But it will still be LEO having to get the person and transport them to a facility.
Someone I know one night had a very severe adverse medication reaction that was mistaken for acute psychosis. The hospital would not touch the person till the state got there even after the person lost consciousness while in an exam room. In the mean time this person went through over 5 days of living hell till the perons spouse figured out it was a medication reaction by doing an online look up of the meds involved. Families hands were tied till that information was learned by a family member then things changed real fast. The laws stink.
Wow. In Florida it just takes a pair of cuffs and a ride to the drunk tank.
If your arguement is valid and he was no danger to anyone, then why the arrest? If he wasn’t in traffic and operating the mower safely, what’s the arguement.
If he was a danger, then get him to detox. The cost effective and long term success of tx versus incarceration is out there. Yes, locking him up will reduce the risk of being a risk to society.
But, we are taking one supposed criminal act and forecasting that he’s a terrible criminal that WILL kill someone.
The alleged criminal ask is driving a mower, not in a reckless manner, and had the smell of alcohol about his person. I applaud him for not driving a car. He must have cared a little even with his diminished faculties.
Sorry for the butchered english. I’m on a handheld device and I cut my nails.
We don't have frontage or service roads as some call them. If you see Joe's Super Market or Mickey D's ahead on the right you use the shoulder of the road to pull in if you understand what I'm saying. If the deputy hadn't nabbed him the city would have.
Both cities and four other towns in the county all use the county jail. Usually it's close to capacity. There is not drunk tank there as far as I know. The nearest one is Knoxville.
Now if someone is mental the cops usually don't arrest but will take them to Oak Ridge to the emergency room where the ER staff calls the state and then a deputy comes back later when arrangements are made and transports them to a mental facility. Again these are usually repeated events. The person will likely be out in less than 72 hours if they answer two questions no. "Do you want to harm yourself?" Do you want to harm someone else". Answer "No" free to go.
I won’t argue anymore because I understand both sides. Through my life experiences, I’m more sympathetic to drunks, but on the other hand with to protect rights and be helpful and fiscally sound.
The fact is that a guy was riding a mower on the shoulder(not out in traffic) and had a few beers. Potential harm is what limits our freedom in every single instance.
Not your fault.
Yeah, you’re right. Let the poor old drunk guy with 4 prior DUIs have his fun. So what if he gets himself or somebody else killed?
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