Man Gets DWI on Motorized Wheelchair at Grocery Store

Sometimes people forget that you don't necessarily have to be driving a car or riding a motorcycle to get a DWI/DUI.

When state laws says its illegal to operate “any moving vehicle” while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, that means motorized wheelchairs too.

Guess 48 year-old Danny Wayne Mitchell of Conyers, Georgia didn't get that memo.

AJC.com says that Mitchell was cited Friday for DUI and ‘public drunk’ following an incident outside a Kroger grocery store. Conyers Police were called to the scene after an SUV hit his Rascal 300 scooter, according to an incident report,

Responding officers said they found a disheveled Mitchell “backing into the building and over plants” in his wheelchair.

Mitchell told an officer he had taken the anti-anxiety medication Valium, the anti-depressant trazadone and “consumed a pint of alcohol.”

Mitchell submitted to a breath test. He was cited and taken to the hospital.

“Mitchell’s electric wheelchair was secured at Conyers Police Department for safe keeping,” the incident report said.

Mitchell told Channel 2 Action News on Tuesday that he can barely walk and was at the grocery store Friday to get a prescription filled.

His excuse?

I was out of medication. So I had me a drink.