HAINES CITY, FL (WFLA News) -- A Florida man arrested on a drunk driving charge, after officers say he smashed into a police car.. with a LAWNMOWER.
Police say Gary Anderson, 68, has two prior DUI convictions and his license has been suspended since 1978.
The officer was dealing with another matter inside a fashion store when he heard a loud noise and saw Anderson on the mower with an attached trailer. There was minor damage to the plastic part of the cruiser's rear bumper.
The report says Anderson told them he was drunk, and couldn't complete the field sobriety test. It describes his behavior as ranging "from laughing to aggressive." Anderson later claimed he was poisoned by police and got taken to a hospital. His blood alcohol level came back at .241... three times the legal limit. He accused the arresting officer of putting cocaine in his system while hurling racial slurs and profanities.
Haines City police chief Jim Elensky says he's proud of officers' handling of this "heavily intoxicated, belligerent offender." Elensky says it's never a good idea to drive drunk, "even if (you're driving) a Craftsman, Massey Ferguson, or John Deere."