When Not Watering Your Lawn Is a Crime…
…only outlaws will not water–oh forget it.
Reader Dennis Long sends along the Case of the Lawn-Watering Refusenik Grandmom of Orem, Utah:
A widow and grandma spent the morning in jail, arrested for refusing to give a policeman her name when he tried writing her a ticket for failing to water her yard. The woman hasn't watered her lawn in more than a year, and the condition of her yard violates an Orem zoning ordinance.
Tonight, the woman says she is traumatized and shocked that she was hauled to jail, just because she says she can't afford to water her lawn.
Betty Perry says, "I never thought they would ever do anything like that to a person that is 70 years old. I've never bothered anybody, I've never hurt anybody."
Sure, granny. You've been working that scam for years, we're sure. Would all the communitarians reading Hit & Run please explain to her exactly why she should go along to get along?
The story does have a happy ending. Especially for the cop who put her in the hoosegow, who got sent home and put on a paid administrative leave. Perry did get released from jail, too, but then returned to her house with that godawful lawn.