On the evening of November 11, Tazewell, a quaint town in Tennessee, hosted their annual Christmas Tractor Parade. One of the features at the event was “Santa’s Train,” which allowed children and families to take a ride in red carts towed by a motorized lawn mower. The 40-year-old man charged with driving the “train” was appointed by the third-party vendor.
Before the parade began, the man was giving rides to passengers, and several people at the event became concerned when they thought he was driving unsafely. There were many officers on site, and when one of them became aware of the situation, they made the man stop the vehicle.
According to reports, when the officer asked the man to get out of the vehicle, he allegedly appeared to have difficulty with staying steady on his feet. He was asked to walk away from the train and the passengers so they could talk about what was going on.
Since the officer suspected the driver was under the influence of an intoxicant, he asked him to take a roadside sobriety test. It was determined that he did not pass.
When he was searched, the authorities allegedly found that the man had a syringe, prescription medications (Gabapentin, and Suboxone), in addition to methamphetamine.
The suspect was taken into custody and booked into the Claiborne County Jail. He is facing preliminary charges of DUI, possession of Methamphetamine, possession of a Schedule III substance, possession of a Schedule V substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and implied consent.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a DUI or other criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.