Southern Kids

[yellowwing]

7-Year-Old Caught Driving Parents' Pickup
Associated Press, Jan 11 2006

10:41 PST Shelbyville, Tenn. (AP) --

Eager to get his driver's license, a 7-year-old boy put on his seat belt and remembered to use his turn signal as he took his parent's pickup truck out for a spin, leading police on a slow pursuit around town.

Officers initially thought they were chasing a drunk driver.

"He was weaving and all over the road. He couldn't stay in his lane," Officer Josh Laverette said.

What they found instead Monday evening was a barely 4-foot-tall second-grader.

"He was so short he had to sit up close to the steering wheel," Laverette said. "Whenever he would brake, he would pick himself up with his left foot and stomp on the brake with his right."

The boy, whose name was not released, narrowly avoided several collisions. "It could have been very serious," Laverette told WSMV-TV as he reviewed a videotape shot from one of the pursuing police cars.

The seven-mile chase ended when the boy drove home and parked.

"He said the reason he took the vehicle was because he wanted to get his license," Laverette said.

Nine years too early for the license test, the boy was charged with driving without a license, eluding police and leaving the scene of an accident. He faces a hearing later this week in juvenile court.

Witness Susan Daniel described the scene: "There were like probably five city cars and three county cars and a state trooper" all chasing the pickup, she said.

"It blew my mind because we actually watched him put on his turn signal and turn, and we could see when he went past that he had seat belts on," Daniel said. "Then to come find out it was a child, I was really shocked."

[thedrifter]

You gotta Love kids

Ellie

[GySgtRet]

He is an independent little guy. We could use him in "MT" in the Corps...

[lovdog]

I was mowing the grass one Saturday years ago, and I heard by truck start and when I looked out on the street, my 65 Chevy pickup was going down the street by itself, no driver!!! What the hell was going on!! I ran after the truck hoping to catch it before it would do any damage or run into someone!! I am almost to the truck and suddenly it shut off and stops abruptly!! Then I see this little blond head of my 4 year old surface over the glass in the door, smiling and holding up a screwdriver!! The little pot stuck the screwdriver into the key slot and the truck took off. I had no idea that this could even be done!!! Hey, this was in 1980 when you didn't have to even lock the doors on your house let alone an old pickup!! My anger subsided pretty quick after I saw how scared he was - then all I could do was chuckle to myself and be thankful that everything was okay. He has certainly given me some gray hairs thru the years, but has grown into a fine young man.
KIDS!!! But thats what its all about I guess!!

[outlaw3179]

Sound like a motivator to me ...when he grows up a little bit he can be in my squad.

[rb1651]

Someone needs to let Deputy Barney Fife know that this is a child. What he did was wrong, but nobody got hurt, and I'm sure that Mom and Dad will have plenty of punishment for this young man, without anybody having to go to court.

Sounds to me that this young man has the makings of a fine Marine: Lead, Follow, OR GET THE H*LL OUT OF THE WAY!

[redneck13]

I came in from the deer lease with my oldest grandson, 13. I asked him to go out to the truck and get my cell phone. The next thing I see is him layin' flat on the passenger side, door open, his legs stickin' out. I yelled..."What on earth are you doing?" "Pap-paw?" "I just got in and the truck started rolling, so I push the emergency brake." I had it in gear, the emergency brake not on. I told him. "Leave it where it is." "How'd you do this?" I asked after he came back inside." He gave a colorful explanation. I just let it go. I know what happened. He was tryin' to find my cell phone, and hit the gear shift on the floor it went into neutral and began rolling. I didn't get on him. "Now." "Got out and on the visor is my cell phone. "Well why didn't you tell me that?" "I guess I should've." To him it was exciting. He said. "All I could see was it goin' into the woods over yonder, and hitting a tree." "Children to parents?" "They are "curious lil' people."