Man Charged With Accused of Operating Children’s Power Wheels Jeep While Intoxicated

A man has been apprehended and incarcerated following his arrest on charges of driving under the influence. The incident involved his operation of a children’s toy car while under the influence of methamphetamine and marijuana.

On the evening of August 23rd, an Indiana State Police trooper named Buchanan was conducting patrols in Vincennes, Indiana. At around 9pm, he noticed a peculiar sight: a male individual was driving a Power Wheels Jeep on North 2nd Street. The trooper found it challenging to spot the vehicle due to the absence of lights or reflectors.

Out of concern for the safety of the battery-powered miniature car, which is designed for kids, the trooper initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 51-year-old John McKee from Vincennes. According to Trooper Buchanan, McKee exhibited signs of impairment and performed poorly on field sobriety tests.

Following the stop, McKee was taken to the Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes for further examination. Subsequent investigation revealed that he was operating the toy car under the influence of both methamphetamine and marijuana. Consequently, he was arrested and subsequently transported to the Knox County Jail, as reported by the Indiana State Police.

McKee has been charged with a level 6 felony for operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction. The police shared this development on their Facebook page, which triggered a series of reactions.

Some individuals raised questions about the charges in the case. One person queried, “Could this really be construed as operating while impaired? It’s a children’s toy, and though he shouldn’t be operating it on the roadway, it’s not a registered vehicle and MAYBE goes 4mph top speed.”

Another individual questioned, “Can you really call a Barbie battery operated Jeep a vehicle? Really?” Meanwhile, a third person commented, “A felony charge for operating kids toy? This is a serious lack of discretion.”

Others approached the news from a lighter perspective. A commenter humorously expressed,  “Would’ve liked to been a fly on the wall when the other detainees asked what he was in for.”

Someone playfully teased Jeep drivers by saying, “I bet that Jeep has seen more offroading than most normal ones.” Additionally, another commenter took the theme of children’s toys to an imaginative level, wondering, “I wonder if he can pay his fine with Monopoly money”?

Vincennes, situated in Knox County, Indiana, approximately 80km (50 miles) north of Evansville, carries historical significance. Being the oldest city in Indiana, it originated as a French fur trading post and shares its name with a suburb in the eastern outskirts of Paris, France.

Founded in 1732, this southern Indiana city played a pivotal role in various firsts within the state. It hosted Indiana’s inaugural Catholic church, first county, first newspaper, first Presbyterian church, first Masonic Lodge, first bank, and first medical society.