This is a true story of what happens when you get pulled over in the State of Utah with a keg of beer. I recently had this happen to me. Saturday January 10th, 2015, I decided that I had a few hours to kill and would make a keg run from the Salt Lake valley to Evanston, Wyoming. I am a Texas Resident, with a valid Texas drivers licence and a current Texas automobile registration. I was unaware of the legal issue that Utah has with any container over (2) liters in volume. I was also unaware that transporting a keg of beer in Utah is a criminal offence. I made my purchase at Discount Liquor at 111 North 3rd Street, Evanston, WY. It also has a location called Spirits of Red Mountain at 622 Wyoming 89, Evanston, WY 82930. I purchased my beer at approximately 5:10 PM. The staff is very friendly and if your staying in Wyoming and not planing on buying alcohol for Utah, this is a good place to go. I was loading my kegs in my truck with the assistance from a very friendly employee who was very persistent to help, even after I told him I was alright doing it myself. The employee was the only person who was in close proximity to me while I was in the store and loading my kegs. My purchase amount was $511.45 for (4) kegs and (3) deposits. No one in the store warned me of what was about to happen to me.
After loading the beer, I started driving west on Interstate 80, crossed over the border to Utah and proceeded down the highway past Echo reservoir. I passed a trooper with his lights off in the median at about mile marker 162 (Coalville). This trooper was not the one that pulled me over. I notice behind me at another vehicle that was coming up on me fast, and wondered why the trooper did not try to pull him over. This vehicle was doing in excess of 70 mph. I had set my cruise control to 70 MPH and waited for him to pass me. He got close and started to pass me. Then stayed in the passing lane at my speed and then backed off. I assumed he noticed the trooper in the median and decided to slow down. We then continued down the road to about Wanship Utah. Mile marker 155 is approximately where I decided to pass a slower vehicle. I made my pass and the vehicle behind me decided to do the same thing. I hit my turn signal for the pass and hit my turn signal for the return. I pulled into the slow lane when I was lit up with Utah Highway Patrol. I stopped at mile marker 155. Officer Michael Phillips approached the vehicle on the passenger side. It was now dark at approximately 5:50 PM. I handed him my information immediately and he told me he was pulling me over for failing to signal for (2) seconds before moving into the slow lane. He did acknowledge that I signaled, but not for (2) seconds. He asked me where I was heading, and where I had been. I told him I was heading back to the Salt Lake valley tonight and I had come from Evanston. He asked me why I was traveling and I informed him that I had just made a large purchase of beer. I told him that my plans were to take the beer back to Texas and that I had purchased a few kegs of beer that are not available in my town. I also told him that I purchased the kegs at a good price too. He then proceeded to interrogate me and my passenger separate from each other. Our stories matched up, but he was having a very difficult time believing my story. He then let me know that I was reported to him by an off duty Wyoming officer. He was told about my description of my vehicle and was told that the officer had said I had been drinking because I smelled of Alcohol.
THIS OFFICER WAS INSIDE DISCOUNT LIQUOR.
The only person who was close enough to smell me was the employee who was helping me get my kegs into the truck. No other person approached me in the store.
Officer Phillips then proceeded to ask many personal questions to try and find out if I was holding a large party for the Dallas Cowboys playoff game. He then gave me a field sobriety test and then asked me to blow into his alcohol breath testing device. I complied and he was surprised to see that I blew a 0.00 (NO ALCOHOL in my body) He confiscated the kegs of beer and gave me (2) misdemeanor charges of Unlawful transportation of alcohol code 32b-4-602 and possess beer in a container that exceeds (2) liters code 32B-4-406 (1) (B).
I was very fortunate that officer Phillips did not arrest me and book me in the summit county jail. The bond on the charges exceed $1000.00 I have had to retain an attorney to represent me at a cost of $1500 and I am hoping for the best.
The reason for my Blog is not to bad mouth Utah, officer Philips, Mormons, Discount liquor, or any employees. My Blog is meant to inform anyone in the United States that goes and legally purchases alcohol or kegs to avoid Utah's borders. Beer is a grocery to myself. I enjoy it at home with my friends and family and will continue to do so. I will never do this again and I hope anyone who is a law abiding citizen will take my experience and remember that Kegs in Utah are a serious offence that can cost you lots of money and possibly jail time. Utah citizens should reconsider their law that can take an adult person and who is of legal drinking age and enjoys drinking keg beer at home to stop criminalizing such an innocent act. Utah should also have a sign at the borders saying " KEGS ARE A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE OF UP TO 6 MONTHS IN JAIL AND FINES"
Until then...
DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE AND DO NOT BRING KEGS INTO THE STATE OF UTAH
