Court to decide if riding lawn mower is a "motor vehicle"
Is a riding lawn mower a motor vehicle?
Most people wouldn't give the question much thought, and it's a rare day indeed when a motorist passes a riding mower on a roadway. But it's a question of enormous consequence to Franklin Lloyd Harris.
In May 2006, Harris was arrested for stealing a Toro riding lawn mower from a Home Depot in Dalton. He was convicted at trial of motor vehicle theft and sentenced to 10 years in prison as a repeat offender.
On Monday, the Georgia Supreme Court hears arguments on Harris' appeal, which contends a riding lawn mower doesn't meet the definition of a motor vehicle under Georgia law because it's used to cut grass, not transport people on a thoroughfare.
Prosecutors counter that the mower fits the definition because it is "self-propelled."
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
