We write about drunk driving a lot. That’s because we are strong proponents against drunk driving - and we work to help victims of drunk driving incidents get the compensation that they deserve. But it’s not often that we write about someone driving drunk while riding a horse.
That’s right, a horse. Donna Byrne, 53, was arrested in Polk City, Florida, for ‘drunk driving a horse.’ Byrne had too many drinks, saddled up her pet horse, and made her way through a very busy street on horseback. When police saw Byrne and noticed that she was intoxicated, they arrested her and took the horse into custody.
The Charges
Byrne is not only charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI), but she’s also been charged with endangering the life of her horse. Police note that Byrne did not properly protect her horse while guiding it onto a busy street. Further, police-reported that Byrne was putting other drivers in danger by riding the horse on a road filled with motorists.
Drawn Lines
In some states where livestock is particularly common, roads that are busy are marked with signs strictly prohibiting the use of horses (or other animals) on that road. In this case, it is not clear whether or not Byrne’s horse was on the side of the road, on the actual pavement, or elsewhere - it is also not clear whether or not a ‘no horses’ sign existed on the road.
Then again, we’d have to dip into Florida vehicle laws in order to determine whether or not a horse can be ridden on any street or just on some streets. Regardless of road laws, Byrne still put herself and other people in danger by riding a horse while intoxicated -- imagine your surprise as a motorist driving along a busy street and stopping quickly to avoid a collision with a horse.
Do horses belong on roads? What are your thoughts on this matter? We’d love to hear them!
