Man found aboard idling Zamboni faces OUI charge

[December 31, 2008]  PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- A Portland man faces a drunken driving charge after police found him aboard an idling Zamboni inside the Cumberland County Civic Center. Police and firefighters were alerted by an alarm at about 2 a.m. Tuesday that somebody was inside the arena, which is home to the Portland Pirates hockey team.

Police officers discovered a 22-year-old man attempting to operate the Zamboni, which had crashed into a wall inside the civic center's storage area.

Police said the man appeared to be intoxicated, and that he had also operated two fork lifts and damaged a sprinkler system, interior walls and a hockey net.

The man was charged with operating under the influence, burglary, criminal mischief and violation of bail conditions.

[Associated Press]

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