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New Yorkers can be charged with drunk driving even if they aren't technically operating a vehicle. At least that's what happened to one man in New York after he fell asleep in the drive-thru lane at a fast-food restaurant. 

A man was arrested after police were called to a New York McDonald's. Police said the man was sleeping in his running vehicle in the drive-thru lane. Police woke the man up and gave the man a sobriety test. 

The police said the man failed the field sobriety test and blew a .14 blood-alcohol content, which is over the legal limit of .08 percent under New York law. Since the man was sitting in his vehicle and it was running, he was charged with driving while intoxicated.

This case is an example of the ways drivers can be charged with a DWI in New York even if they were not physically driving their vehicle. Drivers who have a BAC over .08 percent can be charged with a DWI if they are driving a vehicle or even sitting in a running vehicle.

DWI charges should be taken very seriously. Individuals convicted of a DWI can face jail time as well as fines and have their driver's license suspended or revoked. Depending on a person's employment situation, a DWI offense can result in losing their job and can make it difficult to find a new one. 

Drunk driving is a serious offense that can stick with you for the rest of your life. Individuals who are arrested and charged with a DWI should contact a criminal defense attorney to protect their rights. 

Source: Huffington Post, "DWI Charge For NY Man Asleep In Car At McDonald's Drive-Thru," Aug. 14, 2013