On July 31 in Tiffin, Iowa, 36-year-old Michelle Hudson was arrested after a witness reported an apparently impaired person driving an orange Husqvarna riding lawn mower in a Casey's parking lot. Officers say she failed field sobriety tests and showed signs of impairment, though a breathalyzer placed her below the legal alcohol limit; detectives said she was "believed to be on a drug" and she refused a urine test. Hudson faces OUI and driving-while-barred charges tied to a 2022 meth-related arrest and is being held without bond.
Iowa Woman Arrested After Driving Riding Lawn Mower While Impaired
Johnson County; Ingram Publishing/Newscom/The Mega Agency
A Tiffin, Iowa, woman was arrested July 31 after a witness reported an apparently intoxicated person operating a riding lawn mower in the parking lot of a Casey's convenience store. Police identified the operator as 36-year-old Michelle Hudson and said she was driving an orange Husqvarna mower, according to local reports.
Details of the Arrest
Officers who responded say Hudson failed field sobriety tests and displayed what they described as "measurable signs of impairment." A breathalyzer test placed her below the state's legal alcohol limit, but detectives told reporters she was "believed to be on a drug." Hudson refused to provide a urine sample when requested.
Ingram Publishing/Newscom/The Mega Agency
Charges And Background
Hudson was charged with operating under the influence (OUI) and driving while barred. The driving-while-barred count stems from a prior suspension: police say Hudson's license was suspended after a 2022 arrest in Iowa City, when she was accused of driving a Chevrolet Trailblazer under the influence of methamphetamine. At that earlier arrest, authorities reported the defendant admitted using methamphetamine two days earlier.
Hudson's recorded criminal history also includes prior charges for possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal mischief, violating a protective order, methamphetamine possession and assault. She is being held without bond at the county jail and is expected to appear in court on the new charges.
Note: Charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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