Zamboni operator charged with drunken driving

Published 9:56 am Friday, March 2, 2012

APPLE VALLEY — A Twin Cities man who allegedly drove a Zamboni at a peewee hockey game while drunk is now charged with DWI.

Thirty-four-year-old Joel Bruss of Apple Valley was charged this week with four counts of driving while impaired.

According to the complaint, Bruss had a blood-alcohol content of 0.32 percent — four times the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.

Email newsletter signup

Parents at an Apple Valley ice arena called police on Jan. 30 to report that Bruss was driving the ice-resurfacing machine erratically.

According to the complaint, when police arrived at Hayes Ice Arena, Bruss had gotten the Zamboni stuck half-on and half-off the ice.

Newspaper reports say Bruss has been suspended from his part-time job.

He did not immediately return a phone call for comment Thursday.