Posted on 03/13/2019 1:16:11 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
A 37-year-old Coeur d’Alene man was allegedly drunk when he crashed his SUV through ice-covered Hayden Lake Sunday evening at Honeysuckle Beach.
John W. Hamilton was charged with DUI and appointed a public defender at his first court appearance Monday. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said it’s Hamilton’s second DUI.
Deputies said Hamilton drove his 2015 Nissan Rogue onto Hayden Lake around 10 p.m. when his car broke through the ice. Witnesses reported a vehicle had twice driven onto the lake from the Honeysuckle Beach boat launch, but it crashed through the surface and was sinking, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.
When they arrived, deputies saw a man in wet clothing walking toward the shore as the taillights of the vehicle slipped beneath the surface, according to a press release.
Hamilton’s BAC was .167, deputies said, more than twice the legal limit to drive in Idaho.
At his first appearance Monday in Coeur d’Alene First District Magistrate Court, Hamilton was appointed a public defender after explaining to Magistrate Timothy Van Valin that he didn’t have a job but “could probably sell something” to pay for an attorney. Van Valin set bond at $1,500.
A remote camera showed deputies that Hamilton was the only one in the Nissan, which was submerged in 17 feet of water. The car broke through the ice 650 feet from shore, deputies said. The Nissan won’t be removed from Hayden Lake until the ice melts, deputies said. The Sheriff’s Office is urging people to stay away from the site.
The way this winter is going, that might not be until July.*
(This is just a short piece down the road from us)
Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.
*Actually, the forecasters are projecting we skip the 40s and 50s and go straight to the 60s in a couple weeks time.
No argument that fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life. However, it does make for a pretty good vacation... ;-)
Big car?
Nissan Rogue?
LOL
I thought most states made people pull their cars out of lakes pretty quickly.
Big car? What a laugh. How pathetic we’ve become when any Nissan is called “big”.
59 Impala >> 3600 lbs
Nissan Rogue >> 3600 lbs
(there’s a lot of stuff in these vehicles today, they’re packed tight)
Nissan Armada isn’t big?
Police Officer: “okay, who is the U-Boat commander?”.
CC
Link to the article??
Here it is:
https://www.cdapress.com/local_news/20190312/alcohol_thin_ice_big_car_dont_mix
When question by the police about his plunge into the icy lake, Hamilton replied,
“I’m OK. I just had my blood antifreeze replaced. I’m good to 10 below!”
Yes, almost everywhere.
Any FReepers have actual knowledge of exceptions?
Yes. I remember a thread (or two) about some poor slob arrested, tried and found guilty for DWI.
In his own freaking driveway.
He never made it off his private property to the street.
Can’t retrieve the car until the ice melts.
“Do BAC level laws apply to driving on surfaces which aren’t public roads?”
The main benefit for living in a private country club is that security will drive you home after your car veers onto the golf course and gets stuck in a sand trap.
Do that in Minnesota and you’ve got 30 days to get it out regardless. Or DNR will pull it out, bill you five times the cost, and charge you with a misdemeanor.
Yes they do considering he was driving on a frozen over public waterway. The same would apply if he was in a boat.
Unfortunately for this moron, no only will he be charged a fine for his time in the water but his insurance company won't cover the damage to his vehicle.........LOL!
The “Driver”(you?) was bagged?
Any self respecting outdoor reporter would at least have mentioned the ice conditions and whether or not the perch were biting..........
Looks like the cold didn’t bother him at all.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.