Upshur man with license revoked charged
Was allegedly riding a lawn mower down the street
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BUCKHANNON - Maybe he’s a George Jones fan.
An Upshur County man was arrested when police saw him driving a riding lawn mower on a public road after having his license taken away for DUI.
Henry L. Hartley, 47, has been charged with driving revoked DUI - third offense, a felony. He is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $10,000 surety/cash bond, set by Upshur County Magistrate Mark Davis.
According to the criminal complaint, prepared by Sgt. Tyler A. Gordon of the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, on Aug. 10, Gordon observed Hartley "operating a motorized lawn mower on Cleveland Avenue in Buckhannon."
"I knew from previous experience with the defendant that his driver’s license has been suspended or revoked," Gordon wrote in the complaint.
Upshur 911 then advised Gordon that Hartley’s driver’s license had been revoked for DUI multiple times since 2005, the complaint states.
Hartley "was using the lawn mower as a ‘work-around’ to his privilege to operate a motor vehicle on a public highway," Gordon wrote.
Hartley also has two prior convictions for driving while license revoked for DUI, with one coming in January 2022, and the other in February 2008, both in Upshur County Magistrate Court, the complaint states.
Hartley also had a felony driving while license revoked for DUI - third offense charge which was transferred to Upshur County Circuit Court in May 2022.
Country music legend George Jones infamously drove a riding lawnmower on public roads on two different occasions, because his then-wives hid his car keys so he wouldn’t buy more alcohol.
Years later, country star Vince Gill had a hit song about Jones’s antics, "One More Last Chance," the music video for which featured Jones riding a lawn mower and laughing.