Don't Crash -- Stay for Awhile

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22 Jul 2009 08:33 am

The Associated Press reports:

MADISON, Wis. — An Illinois teen knew he was too drunk to drive home after a Dave Matthews Band concert south of Milwaukee. So he fell asleep in his car, only to be awoken by a state trooper.
Travis Peterson, 19, of Dixon, Ill., said even though he told the officer he was drunk and sleeping it off, the trooper ordered him to leave because the lot was being cleared.

Once out of the parking lot, Peterson was arrested for drunken driving. He was subsequently found guilty and ordered to spend 60 days in jail.

A Wisconsin appeals court on Wednesday commended Peterson for doing the right thing by trying to sleep it off, and said the trial court was wrong not to let him argue that police had entrapped him.

Thoughts:

1) That officer who demanded that he move his car while drunk ought to be severely reprimanded -- it could have caused a crash.

2) Though I am generally loath to impose new municipal regulations on businesses, I've long thought that bars and concert venues should be obligated to provide a certain number of parking spots for people who need to leave their cars overnight. At the very least, cities that ticket overnight parking near bars should stop that practice.

(Hat tip Radley Balko)

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