Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer recently announced that his office has successfully secured a conviction against a man for knocking over a 64-year-old pedestrian with a Bird scooter on Aug. 4 on a sidewalk in West Los Angeles while being intoxicated at over three times the legal limit.
The victim fell to the ground and suffered a knee abrasion. The collision occurred near the intersection of Santa Monica and Sawtelle boulevards.
“Drinking while operating a vehicle – a bike or a scooter – is not only illegal, but can lead to serious injury or worse,” Feuer said. “This conviction demonstrates our office’s continued effort to enforce our drunk driving laws and make our streets and sidewalks safer.”
Nicholas Kauffroath, 28, pleaded no contest to one count of operating a motorized scooter while under the influence and one count of hit-and-run. The defendant was placed on 36 months of probation, ordered to pay a $550 fine and required to complete a three-month DUI alcohol program. Kauffroath was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim and instructed not to operate a motorized scooter with any alcohol in his system.
Kauffroath failed to stop or render aid to the victim, and instead continued to a nearby apartment building. Authorities were called and arrested Kauffroath. His blood alcohol level was measured at .279, more than three times the legal limit for operating a vehicle.
The prosecution of Kauffroath was the first motorized scooter DUI collision charged in Los Angeles.
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