Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Paul Hiatt recalls thinking he was arresting a "good, typical drunk" who'd been stopped for swerving in and out of traffic lanes.
The 44-year-old motorist staggered, his speech slurred and he reacted slowly to Hiatt's commands.But when the man was given a breath-test, his alcohol level registered zero, and there were no signs of illegal drug abuse.
When questioned, the man told law officers he hadn't had a drop of booze. Instead, he'd spent the evening drinking kava - a legal, herbal beverage especially popular with many Polynesians.
"In fact, he'd had 16 cups of kava," said Hiatt. "Usually, people only drink one or two cups."
Blood was later drawn and laboratory tests confirmed the kava had impaired the man's ability to operate a vehicle. Last June, he was found guilty of driving under the influence - the first conviction of its kind in the country, said Hiatt.
The case has prompted Hiatt and other law officers to issue a warning: Drive impaired and you'll find yourself in trouble - even if you've been using legal substances.
"Kava is like an over-the-counter drug; it's perfectly legal, anyone can buy it and it's not a problem if you drink it," said UHP Lt. Verdi White II. "Yet kava can be a problem if you decide to drink it and drive."
Kava tea has reportedly been used for centuries by many Polynesian cultures as an integral part of certain religious ceremonies and a gesture of good will. The drink is reputedly a sedative, aphrodisiac, stimulant, diuretic and diaphoretic, according to Herbs That Heal magazine.
Its effects are known to impair - like many other noncontrolled, easily found substances such as Jimson Weed and nutmeg.
"If we find (motorists) are impaired from using these natural products we can make an arrest just like if they were impaired by alcohol or illegal drugs," said Hiatt.
Law officers emphasize they're not kava opponents, they simply want people to drive responsibly.