Pennsylvania state troopers lassoed a combative 25-year-old drunk and hauled him to jail for driving a riding lawnmower while carrying a box of beer along a county highway earlier this month.
Police allege Tyler O. Anspach, who has three drunken driving convictions in the last decade, was driving a yellow and white Cub Cadet lawn tractor down a Montour County highway with a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit, The Daily Item reports.
Police responded to complaints around 9:30 p.m. July 13 of a man making threats while driving his lawn mower on the road, and allegedly found Anspach standing in the roadway holding a box of beer when they arrived.
Anspach was allegedly slurring his words, speaking slowly, and reeked of alcohol as he told officers he drove the mower to a friend’s house. Anspach’s does not have a valid driver’s license, according to court records cited by The Daily Item.
Two other troopers arrived on the scene as Anspach became uncooperative and combative during questioning, eventually refusing to get into the police cruiser. Officers had to carry him to the car.
The 25-year-old’s blood alcohol level registered at .212 percent, nearly three times the legal limit of .08.
“Upon leaving the state police station to be transported to Union County Jail, Anspach continued to be aggressive, police said. He indicated that (trooper Maxwell) Andres better watch his back and said, ‘I am going to (expletive deleted) kill you,’” according to the news site.
Police contend Anspach also attempted to kick in the divider in the police cruiser, and was screaming on his way to jail, the New York Daily News reports.
It’s unclear whether Anspach believed he hacked the system by booze-cruising his mower, instead of a car, because of his prior drunken driving convictions and lack of a license. The charges leveled against him, however, make it clear there’s no such loophole for lawnmowers.
“Andres charged him with driving while under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, not having a registration and certificate of title, driving while his license is suspended or revoked, not having financial responsibility and careless driving,” the Daily Item reports.
Some folks online seemed shocked by the man’s arrest.
“Registration and certificate of title for a lawn tractor?” Beach boy questioned.
“@Beach boy Registration and certificate of title is required for all vehicles accessing a public road for more than a ¼ mile. In other words, do not merge onto Route 80 on your lawnboy unless it’s registered and titled. Which it won’t be. So don’t,” Willow Grover replied.
Others didn’t see what all of the fuss was about.
“Jeez. Give the guy a break,” CVN65 posted to the Philly Voice. “That’s not really driving without a license, driving a Cub Cadet. My 14-year-old drives our Cub Cadet and has no license. This is all very stupid and states should be protecting the public from actual criminals, not some dude out having fun.”
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