Man Accused Of Riding Horse In Santa Cruz Co. While Drunk

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — A Watsonville man riding a horse on a busy street in Santa Cruz County was arrested after a deputy conducted an “equine stop” Sunday evening. A citizen alerted the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office to the tipsy rider just after 6 p.m.

California Highway Patrol officers arrested the 49-year-old man on suspicion of public intoxication, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said.

"Yes, we did say rider!" the California Highway Patrol said in an Instagram post, adding that it's illegal to operate any vehicle while intoxicated, including a horse.

In this case, the responding officer did not decide to arrest the man for an alleged DUI offense, but CHP Officer Julieta Trenado said riding a horse while intoxicated is a crime and the man may be charged with DUI after a complete investigation.

The horse is named Soraya and was safely taken home by a family member. The rider was taken to a sobering center in downtown Santa Cruz. His name was not released.

Bay City News contributed to this report.