‘F*** It, I’m drunk, take me to jail’: Florida man crashes lawn mower into police car

Author: CBS
Published:
Mugshot of Gary Anderson, 68. (Credit: Polk County Sheriff's Office)
Mugshot of Gary Anderson, 68. (Credit: Polk County Sheriff’s Office)

Police officers have to worry about people driving under the influence or boating under the influence, but now, they’ll have to look out for those lawn mowing under the influence.

On May 5, one Florida man was charged with a DUI, or in this case an ‘LUI’, after he allegedly drove his lawn mower into a police car while drunk.

According to Haines City police, an officer handling another incident inside of a local business in Haines City, in Central Florida, heard a loud noise from outside of the store. When the officer went outside, he found Gary Anderson, 68, behind the wheel of lawn mower and near the officer’s parked police car, which had minor damages to the bumper.

Haines City police said Anderson admitted to hitting the car and he told one officer at the scene, “F*** it, I’m drunk, take me to jail.”

The police affidavit said Anderson’s behavior shifted from being angry to joking multiple times and he had bloodshot eyes.

After he failed to complete any of the field sobriety tests, Anderson was arrested and charged for driving under the influence.

Officers said Anderson agreed to take a breath test at the police department, but failed to provide an accurate sample because he tried to deceive the test.

Anderson then began claiming police poisoned him and he was transported to a local hospital where he was able to complete the breath test. His blood-alcohol content came back at .241, three times the legal limit. They also found cocaine in Anderson’s system.

Anderson was also charged with refusal to submit a DUI test with his license suspended.

He remains in custody at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on a $3,000 bond.

Police ran a criminal background check on Anderson and found his license had been suspended since 1978 and he was convicted of a DUI two other times as well.

“I’m proud of the professional demeanor our officers showed when dealing with this heavily-intoxicated, belligerent offender,” said Haines City Chief of Police Jim Elensky. “It’s never a good idea to get behind the wheel drunk, even if that wheel is to a Craftsman, Massey Ferguson or John Deere.”

Anderson’s lawn mower was towed.

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