Teenage car passenger convicted of drink-driving

A 19-year-old Norwegian has been convicted of drink-driving, even though he was sitting in the passenger seat of a car that didn't have keys in the ignition.
Oysten Haakanes has been convicted of the offence even though he had a sober designated driver. "I think it's unreasonable," said Haakanes.
Haakanes and a friend were on their way home from a party when they stopped at a petrol station to buy some food near the town of Tinn, 80 mile west of Oslo. As he ate a hotdog in the passenger seat he leaned over to change a CD and hit the manual gear lever, he said. The car went into neutral and started to roll, moving about three yards before he pulled on the hand brake. Unfortunately for him, a police officer was watching and detained him for drink-driving.
Magistrates accepted police testimony that Haakanes appeared to intentionally release the hand brake, making him the legal operator of the vehicle.
(Bron)