Police: 9-Year-Old Driver Surprised To Be Pulled Over
BROWNSTOWN TWP. (WWJ) - A Brownstown Township man is facing child endangerment charges for allegedly letting his 9-year-old daughter play chauffeur after he'd apparently been drinking.
It happened in Brownstown Township at around 3 a.m. October 8. Someone called police after watching the girl get behind the wheel as the pair stopped at a gas station.
Listen to the 911 call:
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Brownstown Township Detective Lt. Robert Grant said the young girl may not have even been tall enough to see over the steering wheel. When police pulled her over they found her sitting in a booster seat.
"Ironically enough, she asked the uniformed officer at the scene, 'Why did you stop me? I'm driving pretty good,'" said Grant. "So, the police officer then had to explain to her that she didn't have any right to be driving at 9 years old."
"She was genuinely surprised that the officer was stopping her because apparently the father had her convinced that she was able to operate a motor vehicle," he said.
The father, who was arrested, told police he was teaching his daughter how to drive. Charges against the man include felony child endangerment, but he could end up behind bars for almost 20 years because of his criminal history.
The girl, whose parents are divorced, is reportedly now with her mother.
