ST. PETERSBURG, FL – A minor accident occurred on Interstate 275 near St. Petersburg, Florida, during Thursday’s evening rush hour when a 10-year-old child, who had taken a family member’s car without consent, collided with a guardrail. The incident, which involved the child’s vehicle sideswiping a pickup truck, was reported by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The young driver sustained minor injuries, while the occupants of the pickup truck were unharmed. Authorities have yet to disclose the reasons behind the child’s decision to take the car and drive on the freeway.
The Florida Highway Patrol is currently investigating the incident. As of now, there have been no charges filed against the child or any family members.
This incident mirrors a similar event in Florida last September. In that case, a 10-year-old boy and his 11-year-old sister from North Port drove their mother’s car for over three hours. They were eventually located more than 200 miles away in Alachua. The car had been reported stolen, and the children were declared missing.
The siblings claimed they took the car because they were upset their mother had confiscated their electronic devices. The Police Department noted that the only potential charge that could have been filed was driving without a license, as the vehicle’s owner did not want to press criminal charges. This offense is considered a criminal traffic violation, and a juvenile cannot be admitted into the department of juvenile justice for a misdemeanor criminal traffic offense.