Bicyclist Swerves, Avoids Drunk Driving Penalty
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OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state Court of Appeals has ruled there’s no law against riding a bicycle while intoxicated.
In its ruling this week, the court said the Legislature never intended the state’s drunk driving laws to apply to bikes.
The court ruled in a case in which a Montesano police officer stopped Daniel Wells at 3 a.m. because Wells’ bike was swerving on a back street. A breath test indicated Wells’ blood-alcohol level was 0.13, above the legal limit for driving while intoxicated.
Wells appealed his conviction. He said he was swerving to avoid potholes.
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