Scooter on sidewalk speeds along at 35 mph, gets driver arrested

Published 12:00 am Friday, April 5, 2013

SALISBURY — Authorities charged a Salisbury man with driving while impaired after he was spotted riding his scooter on the sidewalk and darting into traffic on West Innes Street.
Gussie Lee Jeter Jr., 47, of Best Street, was charged Wednesday with driving while impaired, and careless and reckless driving.
A Rowan County Sheriff’s deputy spotted a man riding his scooter on the eastbound side of the 1700 block of West Innes and noted the man, later identified as Jeter, traveling at the same speed as traffic on the street, in a 35 mph zone. Jeter continued for a block then pulled onto the roadway, into oncoming traffic. The scooter swerved across four lanes of traffic. The deputy stopped the scooter at South Merritt Avenue and West Innes Street. Jeter stopped the scooter in the middle of the roadway, a report said.
Jeter agreed to a Breathalyzer test that showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.14 and he failed several field sobriety tests. The officer noted Jeter’s eyes were red and glassy. He didn’t follow instructions for the sobriety tests and had to restart several times, the report said.
Jeter remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $1,000 secured bond. Jeter has been convicted of assault on a female, larceny and resisting arrest.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.