Usually, when you hear about Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases, the driver is operating a car or motorcycle. However, in this instance, the driver charged with DUI was driving a Zamboni at a high school hockey game. Apparently, between the first and second period of the high school girls’ ice hockey game, some members of the audience noticed the Zamboni driver was driving erratically and seemed to be impaired. The police were called and the Zamboni driver was arrested for suspected DUI.
Zamboni DUI: What is Driving Under the Influence in Fort Collins?
C.R.S. 42-4-1301 – Driving Under the Influence or drunk driving is defined by Colorado law as:
This traffic crime is charged when a person’s blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 or greater. A BAC can only be decided through a blood or breath sample. That is why the man was arrested on a suspected DUI. In an initial meeting with a police officer, an official BAC cannot be determined.
Roadside tests are voluntary.
Police in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park will use roadside tests to determine a person’s initial level of impairment, including using a portable breathalyzer test (PBT). It is important to note these roadside tests are voluntary. A person is not required to perform any of these tests. However, once a person is in custody, they are required to submit a breath or blood sample to determine the official BAC. If a person refuses to submit a sample, their license will be suspended automatically.