Florida woman arrested for DUI while riding a horse

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - It's possible to be arrested for a DUI while riding a horse. That's what happened to a Florida woman who decided to ride a horse on a busy road, according to Polk County deputies.

Thursday afternoon, deputies say, a passerby noticed the female horse rider -- later identified as Donna Byrne -- appeared confused and maybe in danger. They responded to Combee Road near North Crystal Lake Road in Lakeland.

When they approached the rider, they said, she had an odor of alcohol, red watery eyes, and was staggering.

Her breath-alcohol level was double the legal limit. She allegedly blew samples of .157 and .161, while the legal limit in Florida is .08.

“Well, this in Polk County. You can get a DUI in a car, in a truck or on a horse,” offered outspoken Sheriff Grady Judd.

Defense attorneys may not agree. According to Florida statute, to get a DUI you must be operating a vehicle.

On Friday, Byrne was in the Polk County Jail. Her horse, Bo Duke, was being cared for at Polk County Animal Control.