A man from southeast Minnesota ended up in handcuffs over the weekend after being caught driving an all-terrain vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
The 23-year-old from rural Bryon, Minnesota was originally stopped while police were finishing up a different call in Salem Township. As the officers were about to leave, they noticed two ATV drivers heading north on Olmsted County Road. One of the riders was driving recklessly, so the officers initiated a traffic stop. One driver stopped, but the other drive sped off into a field. A deputy pursued and found the ATV a short while later, which was flipped upside down near the edge of a creek. The uninjured rider was found hiding about 100 yards away from the scene of the accident.
The driver complied with a request to submit to a breathalyzer, and the police noted that the driver blew a 0.19, more than double the legal driving limit. He was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
DUI on an ATV
As we explained in a recent Whiteboard Talk video, you can earn a DUI on a wide range of motor vehicles. Take a look at the video for more information.
As we explained, DUI charges aren’t isolated to just trucks and cars. But that doesn’t mean that you can get a DUI on any motorized object. For example, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in 2013 that Segways should not be viewed as a motorized vehicle subject to DUI laws. In a 2-1 reversal, the Court of Appeals stated that the device falls under pedestrian regulations because the top speed was about 12 miles per hour and it is designed to be used on sidewalks and other pedestrian paths.
Unfortunately for this 23-year-old, an ATV certainly meets the classification for a motor vehicle as it is not human-powered, it has a much higher top speed and it is designed to be used on roads, trails and ATV paths. Drunken joyrides on an ATV late at night may seem like a victimless crime, but all it takes is one quick turn around a blind corner or shooting across an intersection in front of an unsuspecting car to cause a major accident. You’re not immune to DUI laws in Minnesota if you’re on an ATV, so keep that in mind this summer!
