6-year-old stopped after taking his family's station wagon and driving three miles on a highway because 'he wanted to get Chinese food for breakfast'
A 6-year-old boy took his parents
station wagon and managed to drive three miles on a Detroit highway on
Saturday morning - telling terrified police officers, who eventually
stopped him, that 'he wanted to get Chinese food for breakfast'.
The unidentified child of Lapeer, Michigan, managed to take his parents' Ford Taurus station wagon at 7.30am, while they slept, and drove it around three miles before he was stopped by other motorists.
He told police he was returning to a Chinese Restaurant where the family had enjoyed dinner the night before.
But he
initially crashed into a road-sign outside their home on taking the car
- cracking its bumper - so told officers he then changed his plan and
was taking the car to get it fixed.
Lapeer County Sheriff's Deputy Karl Sapp told USA Today: 'I opened the door and asked him what he was doing. He told me he was going to the dealer to get the car fixed.'
'He had never driven before. Nobody taught him.He told me he was going to the dealer to get the car fixed.'
The boy had his seat pulled all the way forward and told officers he had watched his father drive.
However, officers were still surprised that he had managed to get the vehicle going in the first place.
'I don't know how he was able to operate everything and see at the same time,' Sapp said.
'Apparently, he was close enough that he could reach the pedals.'
Thankfully the boy was spotted by fellow drivers who saw the vehicle moving erratically down the M-24.
They managed to box him in just south of I-69 and took the keys from the ignition.
'They told police when they called that it looked like a 6-year-old was driving the car,' said Sgt. Andy Engster told Detroit News. 'And they were exactly right.'
'He said he'd never even sat on his dad's lap to steer the car or anything,' the officer added.
The boys parents were alerted by police and his father traveled to the scene to pick up his son and his car.
It is unclear whether any charges will be brought in the case.
The unidentified child of Lapeer, Michigan, managed to take his parents' Ford Taurus station wagon at 7.30am, while they slept, and drove it around three miles before he was stopped by other motorists.
He told police he was returning to a Chinese Restaurant where the family had enjoyed dinner the night before.
Joyride: The 6-year-old boy took the Ford Taurus station wagon on Saturday morning as his parents slept
Lapeer County Sheriff's Deputy Karl Sapp told USA Today: 'I opened the door and asked him what he was doing. He told me he was going to the dealer to get the car fixed.'
'He had never driven before. Nobody taught him.He told me he was going to the dealer to get the car fixed.'
The boy had his seat pulled all the way forward and told officers he had watched his father drive.
However, officers were still surprised that he had managed to get the vehicle going in the first place.
Highway: The boy managed to drive three miles from his home and was eventually stopped on the M-24
'Apparently, he was close enough that he could reach the pedals.'
Thankfully the boy was spotted by fellow drivers who saw the vehicle moving erratically down the M-24.
They managed to box him in just south of I-69 and took the keys from the ignition.
'They told police when they called that it looked like a 6-year-old was driving the car,' said Sgt. Andy Engster told Detroit News. 'And they were exactly right.'
'He said he'd never even sat on his dad's lap to steer the car or anything,' the officer added.
The boys parents were alerted by police and his father traveled to the scene to pick up his son and his car.
It is unclear whether any charges will be brought in the case.