This week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays: The Naked Truth About DUIs
Occasionally, the police pull people over who are naked. It happens in Canada. It happens in the United States. Sometimes it happens to our clients. Most of the time, it ends up being a DUI investigation. Often, there is body cam footage and complicating factors due to the lack of clothing.
Of course we are in Canada, so we do not technically use the term “DUI.” Here, it is “Impaired Driving.” But for today we’re going to stick with “Naked DUI” Because these weird and wacky DUI cases all come from the States.
It is worth noting that this is not really a winter phenomenon. Naked impaired driving tends to be a summer activity. Warm weather parties, alcohol, and poor decisions seem to come together when the warm weather hits. January is gloomy. February is worse. So somehow it seemed like a good time to think about summer, sunshine, and the naked truth about DUIs.
The Classic: Randy Travis in Texas
It’s a while back now, but it seems like we should begin with the famous arrest of country singer Randy Travis in Texas in 2012 for DUI. Police were called to reports of a man laying in the road late at night. That man turned out to be Travis, who showed signs of intoxication and was arrested. He apparently made threats to officers. It was clear there was a single-vehicle accident, and Travis had been the driver.
The circumstances were noteworthy, particularly because of a famous country music star being arrested for DUI, but making it more interesting was the fact that when he arrived at jail, he was naked. It was never clear if he was found naked or if he just arrived in jail naked.
Did anyone prophesize these people? Only Travis.
Washington State and the “I don’t know” defence
Randy Travis wasn’t the first and he certainly won’t be the last. Which brings us to the more recent cases of naked DUI. Just a month ago, in Washington state, a trooper stopped a driver on the I5 for speeding, weaving, and following too closely. When he approached the vehicle, he discovered the driver was naked. When asked where her clothes were, she gestured to a pile beside her. When asked why she was not wearing them, she replied, “I don’t actually know.”
The trooper instructed her to get dressed and she performed field sobriety tests. She admitted to drinking alcohol and using cannabis earlier in the evening. You may feel that you’ve already bared your soul when you’re naked, but, we would still encourage you to rely on your right to silence.
In this case, the body cam footage made the rounds, as it often does. Noteworthy is that in Canada, the police do not release naked body cam footage of suspects in impaired driving cases. I say with some smugness, that we have a little bit more respect for the dignity of those accused.
Naked in New Jersey
Just this week, police were called to a New Jersey gas station responding to a report of a naked man sitting in his vehicle. The officers went to check on his well-being. This fellow refused to open the window and then he fled skidding along Route 17 in icy conditions before finally stopping in a dealership parking lot. Keep in mind, this is just as the U.S. is going through this tremendous cold snap.
The driver still refused to open his window or exit his vehicle, and the police broke the window in order to arrest him. He was charged with impaired driving, eluding the police, and obstruction. The nudity was almost incidental at that point, though it certainly helped the story travel beyond New Jersey.
Again, we almost expect these stories in the summer, but in January?
Men without hats. Man only with hat
During these winter months, many people like to escape to the Florida Keys. I can always find an on-point weird and wacky Florida story. A Florida man was reported driving recklessly through the Keys. Deputies found him outside of his truck naked except for a construction hard hat. He was dancing with himself and apparently attempting to smoke cannabis. He was arrested and charged with impaired driving, drug possession, and resisting an officer.
The naked truth about DUIs is that every now and then, a file crosses your desk where your client was naked behind the wheel. The Naked DUI files where clients are totally naked are always memorable, but thankfully, they don’t make the news in Canada.
Things can get weird. Life is complex, and we often end up in unusual circumstances. In such cases, it is best not to draw attention to yourself, which is why we encourage you to remain clothed.
Please note, I made four references or allusions above to 1980s music. If you can find all four, let me know and you may win a prize!
See you next week with more weird and wacky legal stories.
