FAIRBANKS — A Juneau man faces a rare DUI charge for allegedly having a 0.313 breath-alcohol content as he floated through Fairbanks on an inflatable raft Sunday night.
Alaska’s driving under the influence law applies to people operating motor vehicles, water craft and airplanes. The vast majority of charges are for terrestrial motor vehicles.
But when Alaska State Troopers received a report of a “heavily intoxicated” man floating down the Chena River near the Parks Highway bridge at 6:40 p.m. Sunday, a wildlife trooper boat responded and arrested 32-year-old William Modene.
“Modene had been floating on the river for the day and consuming alcoholic beverages the entire time,” troopers wrote in their “daily dispatches” log on their website.
At 0.313, Modene’s breath-alcohol content was almost four times the legal limit for operating a vehicle, 0.08.
Modene was arrested without incident and was cooperative with troopers, trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said.
Modene posted $2,500 bail on Monday, according to the Alaska court system website.
Under Alaska’s DUI law, operating a water craft means to “navigate a vessel used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water for recreational or commercial purposes on all waters, fresh or salt, inland or coastal, inside the territorial limits or under the jurisdiction of the state.”
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One response to “Another Ridiculous DUI”
josh says:
PROHIBITION FAIL….
BLOOMSBURG — Two men have been accused of kayaking on the Susquehanna River here while drunk.
Edward Crilly, 22, of 846 Jefferson St., Bloomsburg, and Joseph T. Smith IV, 22, Stillwater, each admitted drinking a six-pack of beer when questioned by Waterways Conservation Officer Aaron Lupacchini at the public access boat launch near the airport about dusk June 17, arrest papers say.
Crilly was seen falling into the water as he guided his kayak to shore, according to charges. Neither his boat nor Smith’s had a valid permit to use the state-owned launch area, which is a violation by itself, authorities say.
Both men told the officer they had rented the kayaks and were unaware of the permit requirement.
Sobriety tests
The men failed sobriety tests when the odor of alcohol was detected on them, according to papers.
Later at the Bloomsburg Hospital, testing showed Crilly had a blood-alcohol level of .15 percent, while Smith was tested at .20, charges say.
For comparison’s sake, the legal limit for driving is .08.
Both men face a court hearing Sept. 12.
Their charges include operating a watercraft while intoxicated, reckless and negligent operation of a watercraft, public drunkenness and operating a kayak at a state launch area without a permit.
josh says:
PROHIBITION FAIL….
BLOOMSBURG — Two men have been accused of kayaking on the Susquehanna River here while drunk.
Edward Crilly, 22, of 846 Jefferson St., Bloomsburg, and Joseph T. Smith IV, 22, Stillwater, each admitted drinking a six-pack of beer when questioned by Waterways Conservation Officer Aaron Lupacchini at the public access boat launch near the airport about dusk June 17, arrest papers say.
Crilly was seen falling into the water as he guided his kayak to shore, according to charges. Neither his boat nor Smith’s had a valid permit to use the state-owned launch area, which is a violation by itself, authorities say.
Both men told the officer they had rented the kayaks and were unaware of the permit requirement.
Sobriety tests
The men failed sobriety tests when the odor of alcohol was detected on them, according to papers.
Later at the Bloomsburg Hospital, testing showed Crilly had a blood-alcohol level of .15 percent, while Smith was tested at .20, charges say.
For comparison’s sake, the legal limit for driving is .08.
Both men face a court hearing Sept. 12.
Their charges include operating a watercraft while intoxicated, reckless and negligent operation of a watercraft, public drunkenness and operating a kayak at a state launch area without a permit.
Leon Bogdan can be reached at 784-2121, extension 1307, or by email at leon.bogdan@pressenterprise.net.