NY Amish teens busted for drunk buggy driving

[Buzzard]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/loc ... 05.html?dr

 

So they technically cant be charged with DUI because you have to be operating a motor vehicle...

 

 

Quote

Authorities in western New York say they've charged four young Amish adults with illegal possession of alcohol after their buggy collided with a police car responding to a report of a drinking party under way.

 

The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office tells media outlets that the crash occurred around 7:15 Sunday in the rural town of Sherman, near the Pennsylvania border in New York's southwest corner.

 

Officials say deputies were responding to reports that people were drinking in several Amish buggies on a country road.

 

As a patrol car arrived on the scene, one of the Amish buggies changed lanes, colliding with the police vehicle. The buggy flipped onto its side, causing minor injuries to one of the people on board.

 

Police say several other buggies fled the scene.

 

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

[doggie]

I love how the buggies fled the scene at what 5 mph?

[debrand]

I guess the buggies escaped because the cop was busy helping the Amish who were hurt. Still, the thought of an Amish buggy/ police chase is really funny.

[xDreamerx]

I don't know if this makes me horrible, but I find this hilarious? Not that drunk driving is funny, but who would have thought a horse drawn vehicle could cause a crash. 'Fled' the scene? Can it really be called fleeing at that slow clip? Hilarious.

[SpeakNow]

I don't know if this makes me horrible, but I find this hilarious? Not that drunk driving is funny, but who would have thought a horse drawn vehicle could cause a crash. 'Fled' the scene? Can it really be called fleeing at that slow clip? Hilarious.

I cracked up while reading this... :whistle:

[YPestis]

It sounds something out of The Onion!

[Artemis]

In England it's still possible to be 'drunk in charge of a horse'!

(Decided to post whole article as it's quite funny - hope that's OK mods)

A DRUNK South Yorkshire man who was stopped by police after his pony and trap went through a red light blamed his horse’s colour-blindness for the mistake.

But John Mulvenna did not fool officers and he was prosecuted for being drunk in charge of his horse Fred and the carriage.

After being given a 12-month conditional discharge with £50 costs by Barnsley magistrates Mulvenna, 56, said: “I have had Fred since he was a foal. I bred him and he’s the best you can get, but he is a bit colour-blind.â€

Mulvenna was arrested in the town centre and had earlier been seen driving the wrong way up a one-way street.

Jayne Ormrod, prosecuting, said Mulvenna had been drinking and the horse was rearing up. She added the driver used a whip to bring the animal under control and Fred seemed distressed.

Mrs Ormrod said: “The defendant was struggling to control the horse and trap. He was shouting and had slurred speech.

“His eyes were red and watery and he smelt of drink. He was also staggering around.

“When asked why the horse and carriage had gone through the traffic lights he said the horse was colour-blind.â€

Mulvenna’s solicitor, John Dobbin, said his client had been at an event in a village four miles way.

Mulvenna had two pints at a pub on the way back and another two in the town centre.

“He thought he was in a proper state to control the horse and trap. It is clear that he was not,†said Mr Dobbin.

Mulvenna, of Smithies Lane Caravan Park, Smithies, admitted being drunk in charge of a horse and carriage.

After the hearing he said: “About 20 horse and carts went for a drive around Cawthorne and Kexborough.

“I had a few pints and thought it was fine, then whoops-a-daisy there was a policewoman.â€

He added: “I wasn’t stupefied drunk.â€

The Amish lads obviously didn't think fast enough - they should have blamed the horses!

[Buzzard]

I don't know if this makes me horrible, but I find this hilarious? Not that drunk driving is funny, but who would have thought a horse drawn vehicle could cause a crash. 'Fled' the scene? Can it really be called fleeing at that slow clip? Hilarious.

My reaction when I saw this (on drudge) was HOLY SHIT, hysterical! Must post on FJ... Is it wrong that I wish they'd say if the horse was ok? I really only wanna know about the horse!

[Artemis]

I too would like to know about the horse . . .

[meda]

This was on my regional news, the horse was fine, he detached when the buggy was hit and ran into a neighbor's barn.

The horse was in better shape than the Amish kids. :think:

http://www.post-journal.com/page/conten ... l?nav=5192

[AudreyE]

If it's terrible to be completely unable to take this seriously, then please add me to the list of terrible people.

[Elle]

How badly do you have to be drunk to crash a horse and buggy?!

Sorry, I laughed at the thought of buggies fleeing and police chasing them.

[Buzzard]

So three of them appear to be related. Their parents must be so proud. "Joy buggying" on the lord's day...

I really want that dash cam video so I can put that old fashioned "chase" music to it and put it on youtube.

[xDreamerx]

So three of them appear to be related. Their parents must be so proud. "Joy buggying" on the lord's day...

I really want that dash cam video so I can put that old fashioned "chase" music to it and put it on youtube.

Lmao!! That's inspired. Music suggestion: Weird Al's Amish Paradise.

[eohiken]

Where the horses drunk?

[ladypuglover]

I don't know if this makes me horrible, but I find this hilarious? Not that drunk driving is funny, but who would have thought a horse drawn vehicle could cause a crash. 'Fled' the scene? Can it really be called fleeing at that slow clip? Hilarious.

I don't it it can be called fleeing but cops have to do slow speed pursuits before.

I seem to remember Tru TV world's dumbest having a slow speed pursuit after some wild amish teens. Yes, they were in the buggy and very drunk. There might be a video out there somewhere since it was on TV.

[FJismyheadship]

I laughed at the buggies fleeing and was more concerned about the horse than fellow human. Does that make me bad?

[Buzzard]

Apparently theres an "epidemic" of buggy chases

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/southern_t ... e-on-buggy

http://blogs.findlaw.com/legally_weird/ ... buggy.html

[NurseNell]

This is where I grew up, Chautauqua County. The kids are probably grandchildren of my Amish neighbors I grew up with. This isn't the first incidence of drunk buggy riding, probably not the last either.

[NurseNell]

So three of them appear to be related. Their parents must be so proud. "Joy buggying" on the lord's day...

I really want that dash cam video so I can put that old fashioned "chase" music to it and put it on youtube.

All the Amish in Chautauqua County are related.

[doggie]

it sucks they could not even use tire flattening strips on the buggies.

[tropaka]

I normally could find this story funny, as I've seen teen Mennonite boys drive the crap out their horses and be a little careless...but recently an off duty police officer hit a Mennonite man and horse - throwing the horse 30 ft or more (killing it) and almost killing the driver on a clear morning. This happened in Mt Forest. ON.

[Miggy]

I too would like to know about the horse . . .

My reaction was also "What about the horse?" :lol:

On the serious side, I live in Australia so I don't know alot about the Amish. Can someone tell me, how much influence do the parents have over their teenagers during rumspringa? Do the parents let the kids take the horse & buggy out even if they know the kids will be getting drunk?

My parents rules were really simple - you can use the car unless you plan to drink and then we will give you a taxi fare instead. Risking my own life by doing something stupid was ok but drink-driving puts other people in danger and that was no on. It may be very naive of me but I thought the Amish would have similar values - party all you like but don't hurt anybody else.