SPANISH FORK, Utah — A driver was arrested Saturday night after allegedly driving drunk onto a Christmas parade route and hitting a horse.
According to Spanish Fork Police, officers put up a barricade for the parade route around 7 p.m. Sometime after that, a driver ignored the barricade and officers' commands to stop, then drove onto the parade route.
The driver, identified in arresting documents as 65-year-old Dionicio Vasquez, went through about half the parade route, and police say spectators had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit. He eventually stopped after crashing into a horse.
Police said the horse was limping but was still able to walk the rest of the parade route. The horse's rider was evaluated at the scene but did not have any major injuries.
Vasquez was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, along with various traffic-related charges. Police said there were open containers of alcohol in his car, he showed physical signs of impairment, and officers could smell alcohol on him when they took him into custody. A breathalyzer test showed a blood-alcohol content level of 0.228 percent.
He was booked in the Utah County Jail, and his bail was set at $2,500.
