Court: Man drunk while riding scooter can't dodge charges

TRAVERSE CITY (AP) — The Michigan appeals court has reinstated charges against a man who admits he was drunk while riding a four-wheel electric scooter that can go only 4 mph.

The issue for the court was whether the scooter qualifies as a vehicle under state law. In a 3-0 decision Wednesday, the court says William Lyon can be prosecuted because he took the scooter onto a public road.

The court says Lyon, who is disabled, must follow the “rules of the road.”

He admits he was drunk and had an open can of beer when police stopped him on a Traverse City road.

Lyon was charged with a third offense of driving drunk.