Man arrested for riding a horse while drunk

A man from Betsy Layne, (population 688), in Floyd County, Kentucky, has been arrested on a litany of charges after police say he was found under the influence while riding a horse. Kentucky State Police responded to a call on Monday evening about an intoxicated horse rider on US 23. When they arrived, they found Michael Kimmel, 40, of Betsy Layne, matching the description.

The arrest report, filed by Trooper J. Gabbard, says he was ordered to stop, but instead he ran down an embankment, fleeing on foot, wearing only a brown hat, jeans, and boots. During the search for the suspect, police say the found his clothing on the back porch of his own house. Later, Kimmel was found by Trooper Goodsell, again on horseback. Officers say he resisted arrest, saying “I didn’t do [expletive], just riding my horse.”



The report says Kimmel would not submit to a field sobriety test, and later refused a breath test and blood alcohol test as well, though troopers took note of his slurred speech and the smell of alcohol, adding that he was unsteady on his feet. “Subject made threats to ‘[expletive] [expletive] up driving drunk in a car next time and he would give me something to worry about,’” the arrest citation quotes Kimmel as saying.

In their first attempt to lodge Kimmel at the Floyd County Detention Center, he was instead deferred to Highlands Regional Medical Center, after he claimed to have taken 15-20 Xanax, smoked meth, and used cocaine. While he was cleared by physicians at HRMC, troopers escorting him note him as saying “You cops are [expletive] when someone is not wearing handcuffs, and if I didn’t have these cuffs on I would kick your [expletive].” Troopers were then able to house Kimmel at the Floyd County Detention Center on charges of operating a non-motor vehicle under the influence, first-degree fleeing or evading police, menacing, third-degree terroristic threatening, resisting arrest, and third-degree criminal mischief.