Drunken golf cart driving results in several tickets
Jun. 22--RICHFIELD -- After drinking at least 10 beers at a golf course on state Highway 167 and being left behind by the relatives who brought him there, a South Milwaukee man decided to drive himself the nearly 40 miles back to his home -- in a golf cart.
He did not even take the time to throw the empty beer cans out of the cart before hitting the road in the commandeered cart, according to a Washington County Sheriff’s Department incident report released Monday.
The man, 47, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of second-offense operating a vehicle while intoxicated after a sheriff’s deputy stopped the golf cart the suspect was driving southbound on state Highway 175, the report says.
The man told Deputy Andrew Meier that he was driving back to South Milwaukee after a group of "uncles" abandoned him at Kettle Hills Golf Course on Highway 167.
Meier was responding to a disorderly conduct complaint received at 5:53 p.m. of an intoxicated man on a golf cart at the course when Meier observed a man driving a cart on Highway 167, the report says. The cart turned southbound onto Highway 175, less than a mile east of the course, without stopping at a stop sign.
After Meier turned on the squad car’s emergency lights and air horn, the suspect turned to wave at the squad and then pulled the cart onto the shoulder of the highway, according to the report. But the man continued driving the cart.
The deputy then used a siren and the driver eventually stopped the cart about three-tenths of a mile south of the intersection, the report says, or about a mile from the golf course.
Eight open beer cans were found in the cart. Meier reported that the man’s speech was slurred and that his eyes were glassy and bloodshot.
The man admitted that he had consumed around 10 beers while at the golf course, but that he did not believe he was intoxicated.
The suspect later told Meier that he did not know where he was at the time of the traffic stop.
The man told Meier that "he did not even realize he was driving the golf cart on the road until he saw the squad with lights behind him," the report says.
Kettle Hills employees subsequently retrieved the cart.
After the man failed field sobriety tests, a breath test indicated the man had a blood-alcohol level of 0.138. In Wisconsin, a level of 0.08 is evidence that an adult driver is intoxicated.
The man was arrested and taken to the Slinger Police Department, where he agreed to submit to a chemical test of his breath with an intoximeter. That test indicated a blood-alcohol level of 0.14, the report says.
He was released into his wife’s custody.
In addition to the offense of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, the man was ticketed on allegations of open intoxicants in a motor vehicle and failure to stop at a stop sign.
Jun 25, 2009 at 9:46 a.m.
Suggest removal
Let him go.......It's a golf cart and he was just having a little fun......
Jun 23, 2009 at 10:38 a.m.
Suggest removal
It was a gas cart, and yes he should be charged just like he was driving a car no different. Drunken idiot
Jun 23, 2009 at 10:36 a.m.
Suggest removal
No charges of theft ?
Jun 23, 2009 at 9:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
I don't have a problem with him being ticketed for DUI. He's operating a motorized vehicle on a public roadway with a BAC above .08.
I'm surprised that he wasn't arrested for theft of the golf cart or misappropriation of property, something like that.
Jun 23, 2009 at 9:03 a.m.
Suggest removal
Biggirl---he was in a vehicle, that has a motor..hence an OWI. When he blew that stop sign, what if a car would have swerved to miss him and gotten in an accident. Someone could have been seriously hurt! Kudos to the PD that picked this loser up!
Jun 23, 2009 at 8:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
I don't mind arresting him for something, but not for operating a MOTOR VEHICLE while intoxicated. He could be arrested for having an improper vehicle on the road, if there is such a law. This is overreaching by the police because OWI is a law with greater penalties than any of the other laws he may have broken.
Jun 23, 2009 at 8:55 a.m.
Suggest removal
i think you can be charged with drunk bicycling if you choose to bike on the road drunk too. these are good laws.
Jun 23, 2009 at 8:52 a.m.
Suggest removal
being stone cold drunk is not an excuse for breaking the law. it sounds like this guys problem is par for the course. he has wedged himself into a trap he will have a difficult time pitching out of. hope one of his partners was a lawyer.
Jun 23, 2009 at 8:44 a.m.
Suggest removal
Where are Bart Simpson's words of wisdom?
Jun 23, 2009 at 8:14 a.m.
Suggest removal
haha john daly
truth...so if i and my kids are driving down the road and a drunk in a golf cart veers into the road and i either swerve and hit a tree and die, or i hit him and he/we die... are we any less killed by a drunk driver? if you take any vehicle on the road, boat, golf cart, scooter, TRACTOR...your are DUI... and you are putting others lives at risk!
Jun 23, 2009 at 7:42 a.m.
Suggest removal
truth- Are you serious?? If this isn't drunk driving then I guess all of the drunks that can't seem to keep themselves off the road should all drive golf carts from bar to bar. That at least would make me feel better on the road!!! LOL!!
Jun 23, 2009 at 7:31 a.m.
Suggest removal
What they failed to mention was that he shot 3 under par for the day.. 4 birdies and a bogie
Jun 23, 2009 at 6:55 a.m.
Suggest removal
I know the Gazette is running this for it's humor as indicated by some of the posts - but too many people are dying from the actions of drunks. I just can't laugh at stories like this any more.
Jun 23, 2009 at 6:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
caddyshack 3
Jun 23, 2009 at 4:59 a.m.
Suggest removal
Only in Wisconsin...
Jun 23, 2009 at 1:51 a.m.
Suggest removal
If one doesn't realize that they are driving on a roadway, how can it be intentional?
Jun 23, 2009 at 12:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
They should also charge him with GTGC. I wonder, does the average golf cart have a range of 40 miles on one charge? Does the Kettle Hills Golf Course have carts with solar panels on the roof and regenerative brakes?
.
Let's see, Richfield, WI elevation 999.6 feet above sea level, South Milwaukee, 669 ft above sea level. 330.6 ft... acceleration of gravity =32.174 ft/s2, co-efficient of ground friction, aerodynamic factor of the cart, gotta call the course and ask for dimensions of the wind screen...
Jun 22, 2009 at 11:21 p.m.
Suggest removal
I was wondering what John Daly did this weekend.
Jun 22, 2009 at 10:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
Did he have his seat belt on?
Jun 22, 2009 at 10:41 p.m.
Suggest removal
ok, this was funny! lol
Jun 22, 2009 at 10:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
truth........is a golf cart suppose to be on a highway? running stop signs? its motorized and he was on the road with open beer ......u telling me if u were a cop u would turn and look away while a drunk drove off ? or would u of waited for a bribe? guess thats why there are so many whinners about the cops cause some people think like u and think its ok to do that cause its not a car or truck ....get real
Jun 22, 2009 at 10:36 p.m.
Suggest removal
truth..while the drunken man was on the road he could easily cause an accident...some one could swerve away from him and be in an accident....keep in mind that the drunk driving that deadly weapon is a lot of time not hurt but others loose thier lives. I suspect that you may be one that drives those deadly weapons
Jun 22, 2009 at 10:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
"its something someone DELIBERATELY chose to do"
Jun 22, 2009 at 10:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
But it wouldn't have been an accident...it was an intentional act...LOL
Jun 22, 2009 at 10:12 p.m.
Suggest removal
STOP!!!!!!IT COULD HURT A GROUNHOG!!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Jun 22, 2009 at 9:57 p.m.
Suggest removal
If this will be charged the same as dui in a car/truck, THAT is just ASININE....there is no WAY a golf cart is the same kind of deadly weapon a car is........if that is the case, its no WONDER people don't respect the law!!!
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.