(HURON EAST, ON) – Yes, it’s true! It’s against the law to drive a riding lawn mower while over the legal limit and one Huron County male found that out this past weekend. On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 9:42 p.m. a Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer spotted a 16 horsepower riding lawn mower travelling northbound on West William Street in Seaforth. The officer noted the lawn mower didn’t have a headlamp activated and the driver was operating it on the wrong side of the roadway.
The officer was able to stop the driver and upon speaking with the driver it was noted the driver had been drinking alcohol. A roadside screening test was performed and the driver registered a fail. He was placed under arrest and was transported to the Huron OPP Detachment for breath tests. He subsequently provided two samples of his breath to a qualified Intoxilizer Technician and both samples registered over the legal limit.
Further investigation revealed the driver was prohibited from driving due to previous convictions.
As a result, 54 year old Douglas BARRETT from Huron East has been charged with Drive Motor Vehicle – Over 80 Milligrams of Alcohol & Drive While Disqualified. He has been released from custody with a court appearance scheduled for the Ontario Court of Justice – Goderich on June 15, 2015.