Courts

Drinking and mowing don’t mix

Published

5 years ago

October 1, 2019

A Wisconsin appeals court has ruled that operating a riding mower while drunk carries the same penalties as driving a car while intoxicated.

The ruling Tuesday came in the case of a northern Wisconsin man who was arrested for drunken driving in 2017.

Police pulled Keith Shoeder over while he was operating a riding mower on the streets of Rhinelander after leaving a tavern.

Shoeder appealed his convicted of fourth offense drunken driving.

Shoeder argued that the charge should be dismissed, contending the riding mower was an all-terrain vehicle and not a motor vehicle and therefore he was not subject to the same penalties.

But the 3rd District Court of Appeals disagreed, and upheld an Oneida County Circuit Court ruling, saying a riding mower is a motor, not an all-terrain, vehicle.

Related Topics:court of appeals drunk driving riding mower

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.