Clown Arrest .jpg

Joel Allan Sloan, 51, was arrested Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, in full clown costume on a DUI charge and an outstanding felony theft warrant.

(Jefferson County Sheriff's Office)

A Jefferson County man remains behind bars this morning after he was pulled over Saturday night - in full clown costume - for erratic driving.

Joel Allan Sloan, 51, was stopped by a Jefferson County sheriff's deputy after another motorist flagged down authorities. The deputy was notified of the potential problem about 8:30 p.m. in the 6500 block of Old Springville Road, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian.

The motorist who alerted the deputy reported seeing a red Ford SUV that was weaving from lane to lane. The deputy caught up with the SUV and saw the vehicle crossing into the oncoming lane and then back again.

The deputy pulled over the driver, who was later identified as Sloan. He was dressed as a clown, and told the deputy that he had just had a few drinks at a local restaurant, Christian said. He offered no explanation for his attire.

Sloan, of Fultondale, was arrested on a DUI charge. He also had an outstanding felony warrant for first-degree theft of property.

He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail just before 9:30 p.m. His bond is set at $2,500.

Christian said driving drunk is no laughing matter, but it's not every day someone dressed as a clown is booked into jail. "I thought I had, but obviously I haven't seen it all,'' Christian said. "I would really like to have seen Otis when he woke up from an all-nighter with this clown sitting next to him in the cell."

"All kidding aside,'' Christian said, "DUI is dangerous."