Police say a Brownstown Township father had his 9-year-old daughter drive him to the store, using a booster seat, because he had apparently been drinking.
The 39-year-old man, who the Free Press is not identifying to protect his daughter, was arrested after officers pulled over the pair on King Road near Dean in Brownstown Township at 2:46 a.m. Oct. 8, according to Brownstown Township Police.
The little girl was sitting behind the wheel in a child’s booster seat when an officer opened the driver’s side door of the full-sized panel van that the father uses for work, Detective Lt. Robert Grant said today.
“She was doing fine,†Grant said. “And in fact, as heinous as this is, the little girl looks at the police officer and says, ‘What did you stop me for? I was driving good.’ Incredible. Obviously, the officer told her she was too young to drive.â€
A Good Samaritan called police after spotting the pair stopped at a gas station at Telegraph and West. The caller watched the little girl get in the driver’s seat and pull the vehicle out onto West Road, and the caller followed the van until police could catch up, Grant said.
The father told officers he was teaching his daughter to drive.
“Then he was argumentative with us, that it was his right to teach his daughter how to drive,†Grant said.
The daughter told officers her father had been drinking whiskey all night, took her out to drive, and then decided to stop at the gas station, Grant said.
“Very sweet, intelligent little girl,†Grant said. The girl’s parents are separated, and she was with her father for the weekend, he added.
After questioning her, officers contacted her maternal grandfather when they couldn’t reach her mother in Lincoln Park. The grandfather picked her up from the police station, Grant said.
At the station, the father refused to take a breath test, Grant said. He was charged with second-degree child abuse, a 4-year felony, and fourth-degree child abuse, punishable by up to a year in jail. He was also charged with being a habitual offender and could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison if convicted. The charge stems from convictions on four prior felonies, including receiving and concealing stolen property, unarmed robbery, a felon in possession of a firearm and felony firearm possession, Grant said.
Judge Michael K. McNally of 33rd District Court in Woodhaven arraigned the father Oct. 10. McNally gave the father a personal recognizance bond with the conditions that he not have contact with his daughter and he pay $25,000 if he does not appear in court.
Wayne County Child Protective Services is also investigating the case, Grant said.
The 39-year-old man, who the Free Press is not identifying to protect his daughter, was arrested after officers pulled over the pair on King Road near Dean in Brownstown Township at 2:46 a.m. Oct. 8, according to Brownstown Township Police.
The little girl was sitting behind the wheel in a child’s booster seat when an officer opened the driver’s side door of the full-sized panel van that the father uses for work, Detective Lt. Robert Grant said today.
“She was doing fine,†Grant said. “And in fact, as heinous as this is, the little girl looks at the police officer and says, ‘What did you stop me for? I was driving good.’ Incredible. Obviously, the officer told her she was too young to drive.â€
A Good Samaritan called police after spotting the pair stopped at a gas station at Telegraph and West. The caller watched the little girl get in the driver’s seat and pull the vehicle out onto West Road, and the caller followed the van until police could catch up, Grant said.
The father told officers he was teaching his daughter to drive.
“Then he was argumentative with us, that it was his right to teach his daughter how to drive,†Grant said.
The daughter told officers her father had been drinking whiskey all night, took her out to drive, and then decided to stop at the gas station, Grant said.
“Very sweet, intelligent little girl,†Grant said. The girl’s parents are separated, and she was with her father for the weekend, he added.
After questioning her, officers contacted her maternal grandfather when they couldn’t reach her mother in Lincoln Park. The grandfather picked her up from the police station, Grant said.
At the station, the father refused to take a breath test, Grant said. He was charged with second-degree child abuse, a 4-year felony, and fourth-degree child abuse, punishable by up to a year in jail. He was also charged with being a habitual offender and could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison if convicted. The charge stems from convictions on four prior felonies, including receiving and concealing stolen property, unarmed robbery, a felon in possession of a firearm and felony firearm possession, Grant said.
Judge Michael K. McNally of 33rd District Court in Woodhaven arraigned the father Oct. 10. McNally gave the father a personal recognizance bond with the conditions that he not have contact with his daughter and he pay $25,000 if he does not appear in court.
Wayne County Child Protective Services is also investigating the case, Grant said.
