9-Year-Old Girl Crashes Head-On Into Lorry After Stealing Parents’ Car
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A nine-year-old girl crashed a car carrying herself and her four-year-old sister into a semi-truck after stealing the keys and attempting to drive 10 hours to the ocean.
Thankfully no one was injured in the crash, which took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning, June 2, near Utah State Route 201.
The two children stole the keys to the family vehicle while their parents slept, before jumping in the car and driving about 10 miles from their home in West Jordan, Utah, on ‘their own summer adventure.’
You can see footage from the scene below:
According to police, the young girls had hoped to make it to California, where they could enjoy a holiday and ‘swim in the ocean’. They had reportedly been talking about going to the state to swim with the dolphins for some time at home, where they share a room.
Lt. Bill Merritt, of the West Valley City Police Department, told 2KUTV the semi-truck driver witnessed the car hit another vehicle on the on-ramp and assumed the driver was under the influence.
The nine-year-old then drove the car over a median and slammed head-on into the truck. Both girls were wearing their seatbelts, helping to prevent injury, and the truck driver also made it out of the crash unscathed, but police said the car suffered ‘serious damage’ in the crash.
In a tweet, West Valley City PD wrote: ‘Even the semi had to be towed!’
Police used the incident to highlight the benefits of wearing seatbelts, writing: ‘Thankfully, though, no one got hurt, we suspect in large part because those little girls at least remembered to wear their seatbelts!’
According to a video released by the police department, officers could barely believe the situation when they arrived at the scene, with one commenting: ‘That’s crazy. She’s driving?’
Police alerted the parents to the situation and said there was no history or signs of recent neglect within the home. There was no indication either of the parents knew of the children’s plans, and the parents told officers there are latches on all the doors in the house, except for one in the basement, which is how the children escaped the house.
Det. Scott List, with the West Jordan Police Department, said the car keys were hung up in a place that is ‘not normally accessible by children’.
He said: ‘The parents were horrified and very shocked to find their kids were gone.’
Police have not mentioned whether any action will be taken against the parents.
Featured Image Credit: WVCPD/Twitter
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Topics: Life, California, car crash, Now, Utah
