Drunk lawnmower driver avoids jail

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This article was published 19/02/2024 (556 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A drunk man carrying a case of beer while driving his lawnmower over the Trans-Canada Highway to put some air in his tire avoided jail in Steinbach court Friday.

Bradley Daniel, 56, was on a release order from another impaired driving charge from March 3, 2023 that is still before the court, and had a suspended license when he was stopped by police three miles north of Richer on Provincial Road 302 on Aug. 2.

Police were called when someone reported that they saw someone driving a John Deere mower down the middle of the highway. When they found him, police said Daniel was leaning far to the left and was almost falling off. A case of Budweiser beer was between his legs with one beer missing.

Daniel told police he had driven over Highway 1 to Richer because he needed to put air in the tires. He explained that St Genevieve’s gas station did not have an air compressor.

Daniel told police he did not need a lawyer after being brought in, telling them he didn’t do anything wrong by driving the riding mower impaired on the highway.

Police drove Daniel home before bringing him into the station so that he could drop off the mower keys and change his pants after he soiled himself.

Breath samples showed Daniel was more than double the legal limit at .17.

The Crown prosecutor asked the judge to give a sentence of 30 days jail and a two-year driving prohibition.

But Judge Murray Thompson agreed with the defence that because Daniel was wearing a vest, it was daytime, and the lawnmower was so slow and small that jail was not required. He also acknowledged Daniel’s Crohn’s disease and sciatica that the defence lawyer said he had as possible reasons for the symptoms of being so intoxicated.

Daniel also did not yet have a criminal record, which was taken into consideration.

Judge Thompson gave Daniel a $2,500 fine with a one-year driving prohibition.

“I regret what happened. I didn’t feel like putting anybody in jeopardy for their lives, mine as well. It was just total stupidity on my behalf. I never want children waking up to see their parents were killed in a car accident,” Daniel told the judge before sentencing.

His next court appearance for the other impaired driving charge is Feb. 16.