South Carolina Mayor Caught Driving Lawnmower Down County Road With Open Beer

HORRY COUNTY, SC — John Gardner, the yearlong mayor of Aynor (population 600-something) and current chief financial officer for Horry County Schools, was pulled over by police last month while driving his lawnmower down a two-way county road and drinking a Miller Lite, according to Horry County police dash-cam footage that has since gone viral across America and abroad.

Police officers can be heard chuckling as they flash their lights at Gardner's lawnmower, which weaves and lurches between the side of the road and the center divide. (Reportedly near the Echo 6 military surplus store in downtown Aynor.)

"He's not stopping!" one female officer says, laughing, in the police video, recorded around 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Aug. 25.

When he finally does pull over for cops, Gardner claims he was just trying to go get some gas for his mower.

The mayor can be heard asking officers: "You know who I am?"

Yes, one male officer replies, he does know who Gardner is. (This is Aynor, South Carolina, after all.) But "if it was me driving that car, even though I'm a police officer... I'd be on the news," the officer says. "I'd hate to see you on the news."

Alas: Gardner has since made the news, in a big way. But aside from a mass public shaming, he won't be facing any consequences for his Friday-night joyride, according to local news station WPDE.

Krystal Dotson, spokeswoman for the Horry County Police Department, told the news station that Gardner will not be charged with a DUI. In fact, she said, officers didn't even file a police report after they pulled him over that night.

"You have an open container of Miller Light," one cop tells Gardner in the department's dash-cam footage. "You were drinking going down the road."

An unidentified third party can then be seen driving Gardner's lawnmower away from the scene.

When he was elected as mayor of Aynor last summer with 118 votes, Gardner promised to "improve the quality of life for all citizens.” He did not reply to a request for comment Monday.

Patch also reached out to both the Town of Aynor and Horry County Schools to ask if Gardner is at risk of losing either of his government jobs — or being punished in any way — for apparently taking a drunken lawnmower ride through town. We'll update this story if and when we hear back.

Lead image courtesy of Horry County Schools