A New York man has been sentenced to prison for an incident in which he drove a tractor through the rural town of Lowville in a state of intoxication. He was arrested by authorities at the time of the incident on March 5 and pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated on Aug. 12.
In addition to being taken into custody for felony drunk driving, the man was charged with a variety of other offenses. These included second-degree harassment, not wearing a headlamp, second-degree possession of a controlled substance and illegal signaling.
However, the man’s decision to plead guilty to the DWI charges resulted in the other charges being dropped by the prosecutor. He faces one and one-third to four years in prison. Other penalties that were assessed included his license being revoked for one year, a fine and court costs totaling $1,570, and participation in an alcohol awareness program.
While this case is somewhat unusual due to the method of transportation the man was employing while being under the influence, driving while intoxicated charges can be issued to people who are using conveyances other than motor vehicles, such as boats and even horses. Regardless of the method used, the penalties can be serious and the same if a conviction is obtained. Accordingly, people who are facing such charges may want to meet with a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. In some cases, it could be possible to enter into a plea agreement with the prosecutor that would involve entering a plea of guilty in exchange for a lesser penalty.
