Police: Man arrested after letting 8-year-old child drive, causing crash
WHITEHALL, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A man is facing a number of charges after police say he let an eight-year-old child drive a vehicle.
Brett Reynolds, 36, is accused of taking his mother’s vehicle, without permission, and let the child sit on his lap, unbelted and steer the car while he was working the pedals. Police say the child suffered serious injuries following a crash.
Following the crash, police say Reynolds left the child, crying, outside a residence in Whitehall at 11:30 p.m. before fleeing the scene.
The child was later transported to Albany Medical Center with injuries including a fractured arm, fractured rib, a punctured lung, and leg injuries.
Reynolds was later arrested on an unrelated warrant by the Glens Falls Police Department. He was later turned over to New York State Police troopers at Glens Falls Hospital where he was receiving treatment for injuries from the crash.
He was charged with first-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle, first-degree vehicular assault, leaving the scene of a serious personal injury accident, all felonies. He was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. Police say additional charges are pending.
He was arraigned and was remanded to Washington County Jail without bail.