Four Amish men have been arrested for underage drinking after they were spotted chucking empty beer cans from a horse and carriage. I appreciate this sounds like a made-up story, but honestly, it happened.
Cops in Gladwin County, Michigan, found the men after a motorist called up to say he had seen the foursome in the horse and carriage, tossing empty cans out onto the street.
Becoming suspicious of their behaviour, he decided to call the police on the 'intoxicated' men.
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Perhaps unsurprisingly given the description, police were able to find the men and question them.
However, they initially gave false date of birth details to cops and refused to give their names. As police looked over the vehicle - if you can call it that - they spotted 'several open and unopened containers of alcohol'.
Police later determined the men were Levei J. Mast, 20; Andrew B. Zook, 19; Joseph S. Miller, 20; and Joseph J. Troyer, 19; all from Gladwin County.
The four men were charged with obstruction of justice and disorderly persons offences, and were issued civil infractions for minors in possession of alcohol.
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Gladwin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement: "On 12/29/19 at approximately 3.57pm, Deputies received a complaint from a motorist that four male subjects were riding a horse and buggy in the area of Beaverton Road and Bard Road in Beaverton Township. The subjects were believed to be intoxicated and were tossing beer cans out of the buggy onto the roadway.
"The subjects were located by deputies and were identified by the motorist as the same subjects he had witnessed. The four subjects originally gave false information for their ages and refused to give deputies their names. Upon further investigation, several open and unopened containers of alcohol were located in the enclosed buggy and all four subjects were under the influence of alcohol."
The statement went on: "All four subjects were lodged in the Gladwin County Jail and a cash surety bond of $3,500 10 percent has been set by the 80th District Court."
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The Amish are a Christian group with around 200,000 members - although based in the US, they originally moved over from Europe more than 200 years ago.
The close-knit community is best known for its 19th century way of life, shunning technology and modern ways of living for a very traditional existence.
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The Amish community has very strict laws and governs itself from within; members who find themselves on the wrong side of these rules - like the four fellas above - could be see themselves shunned until they repent and forgiveness is given.
Featured Image Credit: Gladwin County Sheriff’s Office