Police: Drunk Man Jailed After Refusing Ride, Scuffle

A 28-year-old man who admitted he was walking drunk down a street in the northern Vermont city of Newport is in jail after he got in a scuffle with police after refusing their offer of a ride.

Police say it took three officers to subdue John Karpoff who said he wanted to walk to a friend's house after the officers offered him a ride in downtown Newport late Saturday afternoon.

Karpoff's attorney, Jill Jourdan, told a judge on Monday it's not illegal to walk drunk. Jourdan said Wednesday she felt the actions by police were "just wrong."

Orleans County State's Attorney Alan Franklin says it was Karpoff's actions after his encounter with police that led to his arrest, not walking drunk.

Karpoff has pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanor charges.