Not a good place to sleep off a few. Photo of tractor by Flickr user Leo Reynolds; published under Creative Commons license.
Hot off the press at the Daily Star: Dennis Valente, town supervisor of Davenport, has been arrested on DWI charges after falling asleep behind the wheel of his tractor with the engine off. With a prior arrest already on Valente's record, the charge was elevated to a felony offense, Denise Richardson reports:
[New York State Police] Troopers said they were investigating a complaint made at 6:17 p.m. Sunday about gravel falling off a bucket truck and were looking for the vehicle’s owner, Valente, who was found asleep at the wheel of a tractor.
Valente failed a standard field sobriety test, troopers said. Details about prior cases related to the felony count and other possible charges weren’t immediately available because the investigation continues, troopers said Tuesday.
Valente told the Star that he refused to submit to a breath test, a refusal that cost him his license:
``There was no reason to ask me to submit to that,’’ Valente said. “We’re at an age when we’re losing so many civil liberties.”
We have to admit: If a man can't have a few beers and take a nap in his tractor without committing a felony, this country ain't what it used to be.
