Los Angeles has a new crime to bring law and order to: scooting under the influence. (iStock)
Los Angeles has a new category of criminality: scooting under the influence.
Nicholas Kauffroath, 28, was recently given a misdemeanor conviction for knocking a pedestrian to the ground while riding a scooter in West Los Angeles, authorities said. His blood-alcohol level was found to be at 0.279, more than three times the legal limit, City Attorney Mike Feuer told The Los Angeles Times.
Kauffroath’s conviction is the first involving a motorized scooter.
Kauffroath pleaded no contest to one count of operating a motorized scooter while under the influence, and one of hit-and-run, officials told The Times.
Kauffroath was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay a $550 fine, authorities said. He also was ordered to pay restitution to the victim, complete a three-month DUI program and refrain from being on scooters while drinking.
Scooters have become all the rage in Southern California since an affordable ride-sharing system came about last year. Riders use the companies’ apps to find scooters, The Times reported, and scan codes on the handlebars to unlock them. Riders are required to confirm that they will not ride while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication.
“Drinking while operating a vehicle, a bike — or a scooter — is not only illegal, but can lead to serious injury or worse,” Feuer said in a statement. “This conviction demonstrates our office’s continued effort to enforce our drunk driving laws and make our streets and sidewalks safer.”
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