Three arrested after riding on horses while drinking

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in Public Safety

Friday, January 1. 2010

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Three people were arrested recently in an unusual case of DUI, after a deputy reportedly found them riding horses on the road at night while drinking.

Arrested were: Jackie Lynn Taylor, Jr., 47, 50 Davenport Mountain Road, Blue Ridge; Laura Linda Bullock, 36, 5265 Hwy. 174, Danielsville and Romona Ann Sisson, 47, 257 Creighton Road, Ball Ground.

According to the sheriff’s office and the incident report, Deputy Dennis Harbison found the trio riding their horses on James Adams Road after dark Saturday night with no reflective gear on. Harbison asked them to get off their horses and noticed the smell of alcohol and that they were unstable on their feet. He also found several cans of Bud Light both open and unopened in their saddle bags.

They were arrested and taken to the Madison County Jail.

Taylor faxed a copy of his citation to The Journal. The citation showed Taylor’s blood/alcohol level at .065, which is below the legal limit. Taylor said he had more to drink than the other two riders.

Other incidents on file at the sheriff’s office included:

•More than $3,000 worth of items were reportedly stolen from a home on Glenn Carrie Road. Items taken included tools, a digital camera and laptop.

•A woman was allegedly bitten severely on the lower lip by a dog on Della Slaton Road last week. Deputies called to Athens Regional were unable to speak with her about the incident, as she was already in surgery. Animal control was notified to follow up and identify the dog.

•Obstruction of officers was reported on Albany Avenue in Danielsville.

•Theft by taking was reported on South Fifth Street in Colbert.

•A burglary was reported on Alberta Drive in Colbert.

•Duty to stop at the scene of an accident (hit and run) was reported on Garnett Ward Road.

•Theft by taking was reported on Sanford Road.

•Disorderly conduct was reported on Racetrack Road.

•Burglary was reported on Spratlin Mill Drive in Hull.

•Forgery in the first degree was reported on South Main Street in Ila.

•DUI/alcohol was reported on Hwy. 29 South in Hull.

•Speeding was reported on Hwy. 72 at Morris Lane.

•Battery was reported on Alberta Drive.

•Forgery in the second degree was reported on Hwy. 106 at the Franklin County line.

•Criminal trespass was reported on Nowhere Road.

•Theft by taking was reported on Musket Ridge Road.

•Disorderly conduct was reported in Piedmont Park.

•Obstruction of officers and burglary were reported at two separate locations on Hunt Road.

•Battery was reported on Rocky Branch Hollow Road.

•VGCSA was reported on Hwy. 29 South.

•Criminal damage to property in the second degree was reported on South Main Street in Ila.

•Theft by taking was reported on Hwy. 106 South.

•A domestic dispute was reported on Glenn Carrie Road.

•DUI/alcohol was reported on Hwy. 72 at North 5th Street in Colbert.

•Burglary was reported on Hwy. 106 South.

•Driving without a license was reported on Hardman Morris Road at Madison Avenue in Colbert.

•Driving while license suspended or revoked was reported on Neese Commerce Road at Settlement Road.

•Child molestation was reported on Hill Street in Comer when a female juvenile was found in possession of a letter describing having sex with a 23-year-old male.

•Criminal trespass was reported on Hwy. 29 South in Colbert.

•A missing person was reported on Rocky Branch Hollow Road near Nicholson.

•Firearm possession by a convicted felon was reported on Neese Commerce Road.

•A domestic dispute was reported on Bobby Road at Colbert Danielsville Road.

•A domestic dispute was reported on B&L Lane in Danielsville.

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#1 Anonymous on 01/01/10 at 08:09 AM

So, did Goober tow the horses when he arrested them?

#2 Tony on 01/01/10 at 09:57 AM

They thought they could drink and drive on horseback...DOH! BUSTED!
.065 is more than enough to get you a DUI. Heck, you can get a DUI at .01...the idea that there is a "safe limit" is a common mistake made by drunken fools.
If you have been drinking, and demonstrate that you are driving "less safe," you will be charged and easily convicted of DUI.
Riding horses at night, on the road, with no lights or reflective gear while drinking and carrying beer is clearly "less safe."
Faxing your citation to the paper to draw even more attention to your stupidity and your crime is not too bright. So much for keeping it quiet and MAYBE catching a break. No chance of that now, genius.

Idiots!

#2.1 Kay on 01/02/10 at 04:36 PM

'Tony'(#2)said the following on 01/01/10: ".065 is more than enough to get you a DUI. Heck, you can get a DUI at .01...the idea that there is a "safe limit" is a common mistake made by drunken fools".......(Dag-um all y'all cases of 'Natural Light'; I was tiring of you anyway, you can't even have the deceency to be availabe in bottles..What gives?!!!)

With all due respect, Tony, then what is the POINT in having one.....A "safe" as you say, or 'cut-off' limit percentage(BAC), I mean? If there is in fact a 'no tolerance' 'atall law, you not only COULD, but WOULD get arrested for a DUI at a .01 percentage(every time you leave the ;Olive Garden' BTW), then WHY isn't the "safe"/'cut-off' point for determining a DUI a .01, instead of a .08? That would make more sense to me.....but then again that's me and I'm starting to think that I am NOT normal after all, at least it appears that I'm being told that way more often nowadays than I used to be; so, IDK(shrug)!?

Instead of the law stating, "You WILL NOT pass 'Go', you WILL NOT collect $200, but rather you WILL go straight to your friendly local jail-house station if your breathalyzer test is .08 or above...It SHOULD say an EXACT carbon copy of the above EXCEPT for the latter part, you know...the part where the IMPORTANT things & numbers go, like, 'What must one's BAC be before being hauled off into the paddy-wagon.

I say this b/c throughout GA., I've saw many an individual, go out w/ friends/family, after only 2 maybe 3 beers, call it quits b/c they say they "have to drive"; I take this to mean that said individual knows full well that if they happen to get pulled over by THE LAW, 2-3 Budweisers isn't gonna put them in the chain-gang for the night. More importantly, I've observed many cases where an individual who has only had 2-3 beers, gets pulled-over, only to be let-go b/c they, according to the very own words of some of our own, and others as well, good ol' law enforcement officials, "weren't drunk" or "hadn't had enough alcohol to be impaired"(NOT that I of all people am disagreeing with our lawm..AHEM(excuse me)...me...uh, young boys(?-sorry!)on their words here; I'm merely trying to get across here what either I've REALLY, ACTUALLY & ACCURATELY been TAUGHT all my life & believed to be true, or just something else I can add to the list that I've been deceived about; that is when I can get to the 'Dollar Tree' to get a new note-pad(...Bet you can't guess which list is longer; first to do so will be given a VERY SPECIAL jewel encrusted crown from me). And they even have/make resturants/bars where you can go in to eat and/or drink...And since the taxi-business isn't exactly booming round here, who is driving all these restuarant & bar patrons home? I'll tell you who, that one responsible guy(you know there is one in every crowd..easy to pick out amongst his hyena friends); that's who. I don't even understand why I am writing this anymore; I just don't get IT...I mean, what he said.

So, educate please...someone...anyone; I'm all ears(well, NOT really, actually, on the contrary, God blessed me with an extremely wonderful, beautiful, helpful & quite small pair of ears, but you know what I mean). So, somebody...anybody.....I NEED somebody to educate me on this extremely important matter that Tony & I are kinda/sorta discussing; this matter is almost worrying me as much as the one not too long ago, when the FIRST bear got ran over in Banks Co., I believe, but a "specialist" from Stephens Co. had to come and weigh & measure the bear and all that good stuff(in RE: to the counties, I may have them vice-versa). ~~God bless!~~ .....Just Sayin'

#2.1.1 Anonymous on 01/03/10 at 12:55 PM

Well i got a DUI a few years ago with a 0.01 because i was weaving and ran off the road. I was found guilty because i was "less safe"---I understood it to mean, everyone's tolerance is not the same, and i was clearly unstable and should not have been driving. I learned my lesson. As for the horses, well if you were in the middle of the road at night with no reflectors and people almost ran you over, i think if you were responsible you would have been on the side of the road or had on appropriate gear. I ride horses myself, but i don't ride them stupidly!

#2.1.2 Tony on 01/03/10 at 01:04 PM

Kay, you sound like you have been drinking. Here's your answer. The law does not establish a "safe" blood alcohol content.

The point in having a "legal limit" is not to protect those who have only had one beer but are driving less safe. The point is to establish a limit at which one is deemed unsafe no matter the circumstances. So, if you are completely wasted and happen upon a sobriety checkpoint, the law has the authority to remove you from the road and take you to jail to protect the responsible drivers on the road and yourself.

If you have had 1 beer and happen upon a sobriety checkpoint, you will not be charged with DUI if you are .01 or .02 as you are not demonstrating to the officer you are "less safe" as a result of consuming those 1-2 beers.

However, if you are weaving across the road (less safe) or are driving without lights on at night (less safe) or are riding your horse in the middle of the road with no lights or reflectors (definitely less safe!), or speeding or doing anything else that demonstrates you are less safe, the officer can and will pull you over. When you tell him you only had 1 beer and you blow .01 or .02, you will be arrested, charged and quite easily convicted of a DUI because you demonstrated you were less safe as a result of drinking, no matter if it was 2 beers or a shot of Nyquil. You will get the same penalty as the drunk who drinks and drives after drinking a 12 pack because, although you don't seem to understand the law, you are both equally dangerous to the rest of us. You are driving less safe after consuming alcohol.

Don't Drink and Drive. If you don't have a sober driver or access to a taxi, you need to be responsible enough to not drink that 1 beer or 1 glass of wine with dinner.

Good job to the deputy getting these drunks off the road before someone (probably them or the horses) was killed. Lock 'em up. After they do their mandatory jail time I look forward to seeing them out there on that same stretch of road, off their horses, picking up the trash. Hopefully they learn their lesson. Bicycle, lawnmower, skateboard, roller skates, horse, etc....whatever gimmick you think will keep you out of a DUI, get ready, all of the above methods have resulted in DUI's for those who tried them!

#2.1.2.1 Anonymous on 01/06/10 at 03:03 PM

Kay, you are not really making any sense, have you been drinking. Please make your point and stop rambling, youre making me dizzy!

#2.2 Neil on 01/09/10 at 08:19 PM

I beg to differ Tony. Log into Lexis-Nexis and do some case research. This is not a case any elected public official will want to be associated with. There are more appropriate charges that could have been dispensed. The attitude you display is exactly they reason we have the judicial system we have. While far from perfect, it strives for perfection and justice for everyone. True, in many cases it does not grant justice for those with little means because their side is not always heard, but that was not the grand design. No doubt, if your standards for others were applied back to yourself, would you have the freedom to write your opinions? The judicial system strives for perfection. Each night the officers of the court have to try to sleep with the decisions they render.

#3 RUKIDDING ME? on 01/01/10 at 12:26 PM

What? you can't ride horses and drink? I think these 3 people should be applauded for not driving a car. ONLY in Madison County would people get their horses pulled over for riding drunk. I needed a good laugh, and thank you so very much for making the start of my 2010 a freakin' hilarious one!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!

#3.1 vicki dockery on 01/02/10 at 10:43 AM

I agree.....where were the cops when the drunk guy was at the store and went over the curb....thankfully he did not hit the store(beside Gina Belles)

#3.1.1 Registered Voter on 01/09/10 at 10:23 PM

Several cops were on James Adams Rd. apparently in front a Sheriff Deputy's house, arresting horseback riders who were less than the legal limit. I wonder how many deputies there were to cover the whole county? Kip is a good talker. He is turning out to be more of a (self destructive)politician than a Sheriff. Why did he get rid of some of our Madison County Resident Deputies and hire Oconee County Deputies? DUI on horseback? What kind of idiots do we have in the sheriff's office now? We've went from needs improvement, to unbelievably crazy. The local store owners are talking. We wanted change, now lets change back!

#3.2 Anonymous on 01/02/10 at 05:31 PM

Well the whole story was not there....dont judge if you dont know what happened, if you are in the middle of the road late at night and almost hit by more than one, two, or even three cars....then you are a stupid idiot....whether you are drunk, doped up, or just plain dumb.....you have to have some reflectors even if you are on a bicycle or lawn mower......I live on that road and I have almost hit them SEVERAL TIMES..then they want to cuss and scream and throw things at my car...and i'm tired of those d*%n horses pooping in my yard....i even complained about them last week to the Sheriffs office, please; if you want to ride a horse, great, but have some common sense...thank you officer for arresting those beligerant idiots! They were on 174 today and looked as if they were going to fall off the horse.....probably drunk again! I hope somebody arrest them again!

#4 JMT on 01/02/10 at 11:17 AM

Were the horses weaving? I'm just glad there was not a high speed chase. Please no one call P.E.T.A. no animals were harmed in this brush with the law.

#5 PLEASE PAY ATTENTION on 01/02/10 at 11:32 AM

What is so sad about this story is that there is a major danger spot on Highway 172, going toward Bowman, before the Broad River bridge that goes into Elbert County. Being told by the previous Sheriff that he did not have enough help in the county to send a deputy to this problem area. NOW....someone is dead and hopefully, the cries from this area will be heard.
I have personally been told by the "new" sheriff's office that something will be done to slow speeders down. I have tried for 3 years to be heard on this situation and for years, my neighbors have tried to receive some help and be heard.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.....send a deputy to Hwy 172, at the Old Chamber store and stop the speeders and the tractor trailers from their stupidity before a child getting on or off the bus is hurt or killed. Years ago, a little girl lost her life due to a driver going AROUND the bus while it was stopped.
This is happening almost everyday in the mornings and afternoons and THANKFULLY, no one has been killed yet.
It is RIDICULOUS that a deputy stopped horses, but a deputy can not show up at this spot BEFORE another life is taken.
Georgia State Patrol says it is not their responsibility, and the Sheriff's office HAS NOT and IS NOT doing anything.
You probably won't care about this problem spot unless you are personally affected in some way or another. I am starting on this page to hopefully gain attention from the residents of Madison County, and until something is done, I will NOT back down. State reps have been called and nothing has been done. The DOT was called and they went to the sight during the early afternoon and did not see what is really going on during the bus stop times.
Something has got to be changed. Please be aware when you are going around the sharp curves on Hwy. 172, before the Broad River bridge, please take note to the BUS STOP signs and the speed limit being 35 mph, NOT 55 mph around that whole section. The tractor trailers are where the real danger lies, bc they go so fast that they cannot stop in time when the bus is stopping. SEVERAL times has the truck had to go off the road to keep from hitting the bus. Accident not too long ago when kids were getting off bus, truck couldn't stop and could either hit bus in back or go into driveway where kids had just gotten off bus. The truck would have had to hit the kids, but he went into back of bus instead. Either way, very dangerous area and begging for help.
Thank you.

#5.1 Anonymous on 01/03/10 at 02:05 PM

Have you called the sheriff? I thought there was a traffic unit just for this, maybe they can patrol this area more? Just an idea. I have driven down that road before and agree there are alot of speeders and it is a dangerous road, i'm thankful i don't have to drive it often. As for the DUI on horses, i don't think it should matter where they were, they broke the law and got what they should have got. But i feel your pain #5 and agree, this road needs to be part of that traffic unit patrol.

#5.2 parforcourse on 01/09/10 at 07:16 PM

Sounds like another empty promise Kip made to get elected! Lip service is one thing you can count from him. You would think he would have done something in the last year to at least slow traffic.

#6 whatever on 01/02/10 at 01:06 PM

HAHAHAHHAHAAAA

#7 NOIMNOTDIDDING on 01/02/10 at 05:40 PM

I don't applaud them at all, i would have been pissed if i ran into them and messed up my car.Did the horses have liability insurance? If you are dumb enough to ride in the middle of the road at night with no reflectors on, then drunk or not, you should be charged with a case of dumb#$%!I don't know if Madison County has video, but if they do, i would love to see it!

#8 whatever on 01/03/10 at 05:45 PM

I needed a good laugh today. So I read this again. HAHAHHAHHAA

#9 Danny on 01/04/10 at 03:43 PM

These people were quietly riding their horses down James Adams as they have for more than 10 years. When cars come by there move over. The deputy was pulling out of his driveway and stopped them and asked them about reflective gear and if they had been drinking. They told him yes and that they wouldn't be back on the road at night without reflective gear. The deputy left and then returned less than 10 minutes later very upset claiming his nephew called and said the riders said he was a crooked cop. Then he proceeded to arrest them for DUI. These people have been riding horses for several years without incident. There is more to this story. No one was drunk.

#9.1 Anonymous on 01/05/10 at 12:17 AM

Read the explanation of DUI Less Safe above. The issue isn't if anyone was "drunk." The issue is, was anyone DUI. Clearly, by their own admission, they were. You don't have to be "drunk" to get a DUI. Someone could have been killed or seriously injured with some yahoo's riding horses and drinking beer with no lights. They will all do jail time. Then community service. Also their drivers licenses will be suspended. Hope they learn a lesson.

#9.2 Robert on 01/05/10 at 10:53 AM

Well danny claim what you want, you were not there apparently and must know them all the way over of davis road, but none the less they were still drunk! AND they have not been riding those horses for the last ten years, i've lived there for 48 years! These people are loud mouth a**Hol*# who ride on my property constantly even when i ask them not to, and then they want to call me "pops" i'm not your da*& pops! They cut my fence line to come through my pasture, can't prove it was them, but i did see the horse tracks last summer, and since i've caught them so many times on my property, well 1+1+2! I might be old, but not stupid, slurred speech, unsteady in the saddle, and ignorant at that!

#9.3 Anonymous on 01/05/10 at 11:45 AM

Danny, that cop could be crooked, alot of them are, but that still doesnt change a bunch of hillbilly's riding in the middle of the road at night having a few beers.If they did this then they broke the law no matter how long they have ridden on that road or anywhere else.

#9.3.1 Danny on 01/05/10 at 05:01 PM

It's much easier for a rider to determine the direction of cars and make sure they are well out of the way at night, than it is in the daylight. Sounds can be deceiving but headlights give plenty of warning of an approaching vehicle to a rider.
I don't believe anyone accused the cop of being crooked. His family called him and stated the riders said so after he initially let them continue riding. It doesn't make sense to me why the riders would make negative comments about an officer who let them go with a warning in front of his house. It appears to me that most of the negative comments are coming from the arresting officer's neighbors, and family, which is the same thing that happened the night of the arrest. They are "manure stirring" (family feud,right Robert?). It's my understanding that that the officer was nice to them and let them continue until members of his own family called and angered him of the riders.

#9.3.1.1 Robert on 01/07/10 at 03:50 PM

Danny, shut up, like always you are just trying to make yourself sound smart-you are not, never have been and never will be. If it is easier to tell the direction at night due to the headlights, then why didn't they get out of the middle of the road? And if you want to talk about S#*$ slingers, then i'll be more than happy to speak to you about this. Give me a call, you know my number.

#9.3.1.1.1 Danny on 01/09/10 at 03:45 PM

Robert,you may have the wrong Danny. You're a well respected man, by myself and others. I think you're forming your opinion of these riders, based on members of you're family's opinion who aren't as well situated as yourself. Why would you be upset about someone calling you Pops? It's an affectionate term acknowledging wisdom, experience and respect. No doubt you're smarter than I am, but I think in this case you're emotional involvement due to family members are clouding your better judgment, as it probably would my own, if I stood in the same position. The officer did the right thing at first, talked the riders and allowed them to be on their merry way, ignoring the family feud. It wasn't until the officer's own family members called and angered him did he return in haste, and arrest the riders. The quick emotionally based decision at hand placed the officer in a difficult position with some factors not considered. Does he flounder in front of family and never hear the end of letting the riders go on their way, or does he go back and end up making himself, the department, and Sheriff look bad? I don't think anyone would have wanted to be in the this Deputy's shoes.

#9.3.1.2 Anonymous on 01/07/10 at 11:19 PM

Madison county. Pd is a. Joke

#9.4 Anonymous on 01/05/10 at 12:00 PM

Quietly, these people are not quiet at all. They seem to be living it up when they come by my house, maybe you don't live there, or are friends of theirs, but they are not quiet at all. The idea of moving to the country was to enjoy peace, but i hate it when i see them coming, or hear them coming up the road. I knew they were always drinking, and im glad someone caught them!

#10 Crazy on 01/05/10 at 08:19 AM

The legal limit in GA is .08 and less safe still has to be proven thereafter. .10 is per se'. .065 on a horse.....see you in court.

#10.1 responsible_rider on 01/05/10 at 10:33 AM

This case won't go to court. They will plead guilty. They don't have a case. Riding on the road, no lights, no reflectors, admitted to drinking, open beer cans falling off with a fresh supply of beer stashed and rolling around. They will get an attorney and plead guilty.

You did something stupid and broke the law and got busted. Take it like a real cowboy and stop being a bunch of crybabies. You aren't the first and you won't be the last to make a fool of yourselves after drinking, doing something stupid, getting caught, and taken to jail.

#10.2 Anonymous on 01/05/10 at 10:40 AM

I thought it WAS proven, if they were in the middle of the road with no appropriate reflective gear on, then i consider this to be LESS SAFE!!

#10.3 Anonymous on 01/05/10 at 02:16 PM

Nothing to prove. They admitted drinking and didn't have lights on. Less safe. Guilty. Case closed.

#10.3.1 Anonymous on 01/05/10 at 10:03 PM

they will try to plead it out to reckless driving.

#10.4 Anonymous on 01/06/10 at 01:29 PM

I usually don't comment, but i can't resist this one: Even if the rider had only had a sip of a beer, they were in THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AT NIGHT WITH NO REFLECTIVE GEAR ON! I would say "LESS SAFE" has already been proven!

#11 Horselovers on 01/05/10 at 09:58 PM

SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP.... We own horses and we have never heard of this. We did call our attorney and he said that that you can't be charged with D.U.I on horse.We are going to call the Judge in this case as well. He said that D.U.I can be charged on private property so that would mean if you had a drink riding in a pasture you are D.U.I. Do these people really lose their license for this? Is their car insurance cancelled? We don't drink but have friends who have had maybe a beer over to ride. Can anyone answer this? Who is the judge in this case? Who is the officer/supervisor?We will follow this until the case is decided.

#11.1 Anonymous on 01/08/10 at 03:46 AM

May 20, 2009: newnan county 2 men arrested for dui on a horse. 5/4/09: two men arrested for dui on a horse six pack mountain georgia. Clayton County Georgia: woman arrested for DUI on a horse after riding across the road in front of a car while intoxicated was hit AND seriously injured (had to be lifeflighted to Gwinett Medical Center for urgent Tx)Now you cant say you have never heard of this. According to S&S LLC attorneys at law: DUI of alcohol or other drugs is the act of operating a motor vehicle (and yes even a bicycle, boat, or horse in some jurisdictions) after consuming alcohol to the degree that your mental and motor skills are impaired. If they were in the middle of the road, and drinking, then they were DUI, if Mr. Taylor was .065 and charged "less safe" then this is a correct charge and should be prosecuted. Did the other two blow in the little tube or did they refuse? If they refused, and were in the middle of the road while drinking,(which they admitted it as stated in the article, by the way was not very smart, this can be held against you) then it would be correct to charge them with a DUI automatically and prosecute them. Whether or not they called the cop crooked is irrelevant. I wonder do these three have any prior arrest record? That would also be interesting to know.

#12 Anonymous on 01/06/10 at 02:15 PM

Adults drinking beer is not illegal in this state. Not guilty. Case closed.

#12.1 Anonymous on 01/09/10 at 12:00 PM

The question is not about Adults Drinking Beer, i drink a beer or two daily myself, but i don't get on a horse, lawnmower, tractor, car, truck, or ja#$%^^ in the road. If you want to drink, carry an open container, or an extra one or two, then don't get in the road scooter! Thats what this case is about!

#13 Anonymous on 01/06/10 at 03:08 PM

Yal are making a mountain out of a mole hill, they were drinking, as stated by Taylor, open containers, more in the saddle bag. Mr. Taylor if you had any chance of beating this, i don't think i would have openly stated, "i was drinking" even though it was obvious. Simple facts, you were drinking, you were in the road with no lights or reflective gear which makes you less safe. You loose. I think you should thank this officer for possibly saving your life instead of crying over spilled milk. We all do dumb things, pay your fine and move on man.

#14 WOW dude on 01/08/10 at 01:10 PM

Horselovers - To answer your question, no you cannot be charged with DUI on a horse. This charge can only be made while in control of a motorized vehicle, and the last time I checked a horse is not a motorized vehicle. A form of transportation yes, a vehicle no. A more appropiate charge would have been public drunk.

#14.1 Anonymous on 01/08/10 at 02:59 PM

Really? I wouldn't saddle up with my whiskey just yet. DUI applies to ANY mode of transportation, car, truck, bike, horse, donkey, lawn mower, boat, jet ski... you name it.

Read this story about a DUI on a horse in Georgia:

A 1993 Pontiac Bonneville struck Darnell's horse on US 441 near Steoka Falls and Bethel Roads in the city of Clayton as Darnell attempted to cross the road. Police claim she was drunk at the time.

Darnell was rushed by a Lifeflight helicopter to Gwinett Medical Center for urgent treatment.

Passengers in the Bonneville suffered less serious injuries.

Darnell now faces up to a year in prison, fines of $1000 plus court costs, 40 hours of community service, and a one-year automobile license suspension.

Georgia Drunk Driving Statute 40-6-391. (a) A person shall not drive or be in actual physical control of any moving vehicle while: (1) Under the influence of alcohol to the extent that it is less safe for the person to drive.

There you go...DUI on horseback? You betcha

#14.1.1 Horselovers on 01/09/10 at 05:22 AM

Thanks everyone for all the info. We checked in to the other arrests for D.U.I on a horse.Both those cases were dismissed before it was heard by a Judge because currently in Georgia you can't legally charged D.U.I on a horse. Maybe this arrest will change that.I think this newspaper should write an article and put an end to this debate.We heard that traffic enforcement in Madison County was very aggressive and have heard a lot of people complaining about traffic tickets.This incident doesn't sound like the Sheriff we voted for. Does anybody know this Major Burns who is listed as the Chief deputy? Is he one of these Oconee people that the Sheriff brought here that we been hearing complaints about? I know the Sheriff wouldn't condone a bad charge of D.U.I. Maybe this Major knoews something about the charge.This case sounds like some kind of Athens Clarke County Police arrest.Not a rural Sheriff's dept. We voted for Kip. If we had wanted to be policed by a bunch of Oconee County folks we wouldve sold all our land and moved there. We are lifelong residents of this county. What's going on over there with our Sheriff's Dept? Who and how many of these Oconee people work there? What are there job titles? We will find out eventually because if this charge is not legal and these people have to loose their license and have to do all that stuff like jail time and community service then everybody in this county should be very scared.We are. Who is the judge on this case? Did we vote him in to? Last time, SOMEBODY HELP.....

#14.1.1.1 DNR on 01/09/10 at 12:45 PM

There have been numerous convictions for DUI on horseback in Georgia, particularly in our state parks. There have been 2 convictions for DUI on horseback right here locally at Watson's Mill State Park.

#14.1.1.1.1 Neil on 01/09/10 at 08:40 PM

There would be no case research where a person pleads guilty. A judge must accept a plea, even if the plea happens to incorrect, so technically a guilty plea would be considered a conviction. However, do your research on judicial decisions.

#15 bodawg on 01/08/10 at 06:59 PM

Whiskey for my men and beer for my horses.................. sounds like the beginning of a country music song.

#16 Neil on 01/09/10 at 08:02 PM

The newspaper article didn't say they were in the "middle" of the road. It didn't say that they were falling off their horses. It didn't say beer cans were falling out of their saddle bags. It didn't say they had open containers. It did say there open and unopened cans of beer in their saddle bags. As a retired DNR officer, not throwing their empty cans on the ground would have went a long way with me. I would hardly call a .065 BAC drunk, so a charge of public drunkeness might not be appropriate as anyone leaving an alcohol serving restaurant after 2 drinks would register that or more. I'm not aware of any ordinances in Madison County governing horseback riding. Under GA law a wagon, carriage, farm machine or slow moving machinery must have an orange reflective triangle on a public road. I don't like to second guess a member of law enforcement, but DUI on a horse is not a prosecutable offense even under OCGA 40-6-4. Judges do not like to be overturned.

#17 Anonymous on 01/09/10 at 09:24 PM

Can we add the charge of BEING COMPLETE IDIOTS? I think the whole county got a laugh out of this one! I've heard of some stupid DUI's by some morons, but this TAKES THE CAKE! They may want to lay off the beer. When you're dumb as heck to start with, the beer just makes you dumber!

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Three arrested after riding on horses while drinking

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Three arrested after riding on horses while drinking

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