Jackson man accused of drunken lawn-mower racing

Jackson police arrested an allegedly intoxicated man who was accused of racing riding lawn mowers with an associate Saturday night.

Jeremy Tyson Cook, 35, of Jackson is charged with felony driving while intoxicated as a chronic offender.

His bond was set at $35,000 cash or surety.

Police responded about 1:30 a.m. to the area near the intersection of Greensferry Road and Maryland Street.

A caller said two subjects were operating four-wheelers in a public roadway and being “extremely loud,” according to a probable-cause statement filed by Jackson police officer Jason Wilhelm.

Wilhelm stated he saw two people in the roadway near 323 Greensferry Road in what appeared to be an accident with two John Deere riding lawn mowers.

“They admitted they had been racing their lawn mowers when one of the mowers stopped functioning,” Wilhelm wrote. “They advised in an attempt to move the disabled lawn mower from the roadway, they had an accident.”

Officers detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverages emitting from Cook, according to the statement.

Cook showed signs of impairment in the field-sobriety tests, and a breath test tested positive for alcohol, Wilhelm wrote.

A search showed Cook’s driving status was revoked in December 2006.

Cook pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in November 2006 in Bollinger County Court, according to Cook’s arrest warrant.

He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in March 2001 in Bollinger County Court after a fatal accident in December 2000.

Cook, who was 19 at the time, lost control of his vehicle when driving on Route KK south of Biehle, Missouri, and struck two Sedgewickville, Missouri, men walking along the roadway.

Steven Palermo, 20, was killed, and Nathan Bollinger, 21, suffered moderate injuries during the crash.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

323 Greensferry Road, Jackson, MO