Man charged with DWI while driving lawnmower on road

A Valdese man was charged with DWI while driving a lawnmower in Morganton on Wednesday.

Zachary Norton, 38, is charged with driving while impaired, no liability insurance, failure to display registration plate and a brake light equipment violation, the Morganton Department of Public Safety said in a news release.

Morganton police officers saw a lawnmower driving along East Union Street near East Fleming Drive shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday. The Morganton Department of Public Safety had received reports prior to the sighting of a lawnmower being driven recklessly on U.S. Highway 70, the department said.

The officer pulled the lawnmower over and identified the driver as Norton. Morganton Department of Public Safety said Norton appeared to be under the influence of an impairing substance at the time.

Morganton Department of Public Safety said this is Norton's second DWI offense. The previous charge occurred on July 4, 2024.

Norton is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Sarah Johnson is a digital news reporter for the Morganton News Herald.