The “pilot” of a pedal-powered vehicle that tipped over with 15 people onboard Saturday was cited for allegedly operating it under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Atlanta police said.
The driver or chauffeur, whom operator Pedal Pub calls a “pilot,” was also cited for an unspecified business violation following the early evening accident in Midtown Atlanta.
That person’s name was not released. Georgia laws prohibiting impaired driving cover “alcohol, drugs or other intoxicating substances.” Police did not specify which was suspected.
Without the pilot’s identity, NBC News was unable to reach them or their lawyer for a response. By Sunday evening, the operator, Pedal Pub, had not responded to a request for comment.
All 15 onboard the vehicle were injured after it “tipped over while making a turn,” Atlanta police said in a statement Sunday morning.
Although police said none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, all 15 were hospitalized. The City of Atlanta Fire Rescue Department said two riders initially suffered critical injures, and three others were evaluated for serious injuries.
The others were treated for minor injuries, the department said.
No other vehicles were involved in the accident, which took place shortly after 6:30 p.m., authorities said.
“This was a single vehicle accident,” Atlanta Police Officer Steve Avery said by email Saturday. “A ‘pedal pub’ with multiple passengers was trying to negotiate a turn but was apparently going too fast and turned over.”
Pedal Pub, part of a limited liability corporation based in St. Paul, Minnesota, offers tours of two to four Atlanta beer-serving establishments per trip.
Its website states that the rides have a 15-person capacity. It’s not clear if that includes the operator. Pedal Pub’s website says that its passengers’ safety is a priority and that its pilots are thoroughly trained.
In Atlanta passengers are allowed to have their own alcoholic beverages except hard liquor in plastic cups onboard the vehicle, the website says. In some of the other U.S. cities where Pedal Pub operates it is allowed to serve beer onboard.
It calls its vehicles “the original party bike.” The rides are handmade in the Netherlands and durable, Pedal Pub’s website says.
Joe Studley contributed.