A Perryville, Missouri, man stole a tractor from a local nursery, drunkenly drove it down the highway and then drove off the west side of the road into a ditch, Perry County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies arrested Trevor J. Hall, 17, of Perryville on Monday and then released him pending a criminal summons.

Hall was charged with tampering with a motor vehicle, misdemeanor leaving the scene of a motor-vehicle accident and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.

Hall was issued a criminal summons to appear in front of Judge Craig Brewer at 9 a.m. Jan. 17.

About 9 p.m. Monday, deputies responded to a call about a tractor driving north on U.S. 61, dragging a box blade and causing sparks, according to a probable-cause statement filed by deputy Andy Pacinda.

Pacinda found Hall sitting on the ground next to the tractor, which was off the west side of the roadway in a ditch, Pacinda wrote.

Hall said he was drunk and stole the tractor, according to the statement. Pacinda later found out the Kubota tractor was stolen from a nursery in the 1700 block of North Kingshighway and obtained a statement from the nursery owner, who said Hall was not allowed to take the tractor, Pacinda wrote.

Hall ran over and destroyed a mailbox in the 3900 block of Kingshighway before turning onto U.S. 61, Pacinda wrote.

Hall gave a sample for a blood-alcohol content test and was found to have a BAC of .138, according to the statement. Hall declined to perform a field-sobriety test because he said he was too drunk, Pacinda wrote.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

1700 block North Kingshighway, Perryville, Mo.