An intoxicated person galloping on horseback through Southern California traffic led Whittier police officers on a pursuit Friday afternoon after the rider refused to obey authorities’ command to rein in the equine and stop.
Whittier Police Department shared images of officers escorting a brown horse to the police, where they secured the animal to a hitching post with a water-filled bin nearby.
“That was our afternoon,” Whittier Police Department authorities said on social media. “A pursuit after a DUI on a horse!”
Authorities said the suspect eventually surrendered and was taken into custody, and the horse “received lots of love” from the team.
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KTLA reports the unidentified rider is expected to receive driving under the influence charges.
California Code says whether an intoxicated driver operates a vehicle — something self-propelled or powered by something other than a person — “the person riding or driving an animal has all the rights and responsibilities applicable to the driver when it comes to the rules of the road.”
However, the code excludes “those provisions which by their very nature can have no application,” meaning whether someone drives a car or rides a horse, they cannot exceed the 0.08% legal blood alcohol limit.
According to a California law firm, riding a horse while intoxicated through traffic could also lead to animal neglect charges for putting the animal at risk and further losing custody of the horse.
