Drunk Driver Does Backflip to Prove to Police He's Sober
“Have you had any psychedelic drugs today man?”
Police officers in Broadview Heights, Ohio, had an unusual experience pulling over a suspected drunk driver—the man was determined to prove his sobriety on his own terms. Tanner Watson, from Broadview Heights, did his best to convince skeptical officers he was not drinking and driving by pulling off a backflip. While officers were impressed, it didn't get him off the hook—here's what the bodycam footage showed.
Watson was pulled over on suspicion of OVI (operating a vehicle under the influence) after his white Ram 1500 was spotted speeding on November 23. He had three passengers in the car, and appeared glossy-eyed, according to police. There was also a strong smell of booze coming out of the vehicle.
When asked if he had been drinking, Watson initially told the officers he had "one or two beers". He later changed his story to "three to four beers". When asked to take a horizontal gaze test, Watson displayed six signs of impairment, according to the police report.
Watson did not do well with the horizontal gaze test. "You went back and forth too many times. I'm getting a little dizzy over here," he complained to the officer. Watson then decided to play what he thought was his ace-in-the-hole—pulling off a perfect backflip. At least it wasn't Irish folk dancing!
Police were impressed by the backflip, with one saying, "I can't do that!" Unfortunately for Watson, it didn't end there. The officers asked him if he was on any drugs, then told him to walk in a straight line—and he seemed confused just by the request. "To me I picture a straight line compared to your straight line, it would be obscured," Watson said.
The officer told Watson he didn't know how else to explain "walk in a straight line," cuffed the driver, and put him in the cruiser. When Watson asked for evidence of his alleged intoxication, the officer said, "You can't tell me what a straight line is, I think that's pretty solid proof." Watson was put in a cell to detox, and charged with OVI and speeding.
