Crime News

Santa Claus Arrested For Drunk Driving In Idaho

Santa Hat
Image via Pixabay

A Washington state resident legally named Santa Claus was arrested for DUI in North Idaho on Thursday night after local law enforcement spotted him driving down the road in the opposite direction of traffic.

According to the police report, the arresting officer smelled alcohol emanating from the vehicle driven by the 67-year-old Santa and while he initially indicated that he wasn’t from the area and that he was subsequently unfamiliar with the roads, he eventually admitted that he’d had three or four beers at a local establishment in Post Falls.

Claus reportedly struggled to retain his balance throughout the sobriety tests and when he blew into the breathalyzer, he failed the test not once, but twice as he blew a 0.130 and a 0.119, CBS affiliate KREM reported.

In some states, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit is 0.10, but in the state of Idaho, it’s 0.08.

While the arresting officer noted in court documents that Claus had been drinking and driving “in the wrong lane of travel,” the officer also noted that he was “cooperative throughout.”

It should be noted that the vehicle was still in the wrong lane of travel

According to court documents, Claus, who just so happens to have a white beard, admitted to the authorities that he had been drinking at the Moon Dollars Bistro– a restaurant with a full bar.

While Claus was initially arrested and charged with DUI, court records show that the charge was reduced to misdemeanor reckless driving, Inside Edition reported.

In court on Friday, Mr. Claus pleaded guilty to the reduced charge and paid the $700 fine that accompanied it.

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