14 year old boy in the stolen car

waltsgirl102503

Did you all hear this story?   A 14 year old boy stole a car, and ended up crashing it.  He is in the hospital.   His mother is placing some of the blame on the car owner because she didn't lock the car and left the keys in it. 

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-east/14-year-old-faces-charges-of-stealing-crashing-jeep-on-parkway-east-648904/

It's things like this that make me afraid for my golden years - when kids who have never had to own up to anything they've ever done will be running the world.   Whether the car was unlocked or not - it was wrong of him to 1)take someone else's car and 2) drive without even being of age!  

egpitt22

Honestly.  What is wrong with people?  It makes me very, very nervous for the way the world is going to be run, and the people who I will be forced to interact with.

Temp752290812504671

This p!ssed me off so bad!

Really, your kid STEALS a car and it is the owner's fault for running back into her house. Shut the front door! Lady, your 14 year old STOLE A CAR, it is his fault and yours for not knowing where he was and teaching him better. Take responsiblity for your actions.

AmandaJLewis

so first of all, I totally agree.  14 year old children should not be in a high speed chase with police. But I wonder if the mother is placing the blame for legal/monetary reasons. I mean, if your 6 year old climbed into a car that was running and drove it some distance and crashed... it is easier to place the blame on the person who left their car running and unattended.  and if the child was hurt, it would likely be charged against that car owners insurance. But when the child is older, and you think should have a better understanding between right and wrong that is not as strong of a case. Just stuff floating through my head over this whole thing.

4EvR&4AlWz

Ditto pp.  parents and kids these days have blinders on that "it's not my kid" or "it's not his/her fault".  My mom had a student kill a classmate in a love triangle and the kids mom was all over the news saying, "my son would never do such a thing"....and this was after the store video of the kid buying a garbage can, duct tape, rope and saw and it was just a coincidence that the dead kid was found bound by rope and duct tape and cut apart and found in a garbage can.  

lala5507

I hate the whole "my kid does nothing wrong" "Don't ever say my kid did something wrong" mentality.  All kids make mistakes/do something they're not supposed to.  This is a really extreme case but still.  Kids need to learn to take ownership of their decisions.  This mother isn't doing her kid any favors. 

northhillsbride

Don't get me going....I heard this yesterday morning and about jumped at the tv.

But I agree with Amanda and thought the same thing - this Mom is going to totally go after the car owner's insurance for some retribution. Ridiculous.

But, that's the problem with society - entitlement and "it's not my fault" attitudes. Look at the mortgage crisis - while I"m not taking some of the blame off the banks for bad lending practices, as a home owner how do you say "oh great - we got approved for a $500K loan at $4k/mo payment; even though I only make $2K a mo, I can still afford it because I deserve it"?

gwennythepooh

I actually yelled at the tv when I saw this story. RIDICULOUS.

Tiffany946

The guy who's car was hit, actually went to high school with me!  He is fighting the insurance company because the kid didn't have car insurance and it's a mess!  Ofcourse he didn't have insurance, he's 14.  But they have to go after the car owner, according to insurance!  Talk about not being fair!

AmandaJLewis

Tiffany946:

But they have to go after the car owner, according to insurance!  Talk about not being fair!

But she did leave her car running, unattended. I know we all do this at one time or another and don't think much of it. But it is a risky behavior. Again, if a 6 year old climbed in and the car started moving and that caused damage the car owner would be liable for the repairs. OR worse if someone died, likely responsible for that as well. 

waltsgirl102503

I did hear on the radio that while it's not good practice, it's not illegal to leave your car running.  So I don't think the car owner would be liable for injury/death.   (In a criminal capacity.) 

AmandaJLewis

waltsgirl102503:

I did hear on the radio that while it's not good practice, it's not illegal to leave your car running.  So I don't think the car owner would be liable for injury/death.   (In a criminal capacity.) 

you are probably right with that, but I would assume their insurance would be financially on the hook.

bride2003

i heard one of the reporters on the news this morning and he said that the mom did acknowledge that what her kid did was wrong (obviously) but then blamed the car owner and apparently a friend of the owner that saw the kid and followed him.  I would imagine that the mom was in shock b/c they interviewed her at like 4 am but I think we can all agree that what she should have said was "I'm so grateful that my son is alive and no one else was injured" and leave it at that!  Without a doubt they are so lucky he didn't hurt someone else. 

waltsgirl102503

PittGirl just made the mom the next annoying Burgher.  Love it!

http://thatschurch.com/2012/08/14/a-brand-new-annoying-burgher-6/

 

bride2003

I'm confused as to where everyone gets that the car was left running? The posted article only says she left her keys in it ?  And leaving your keys in your car at a known residence is not criminal or negligent for that matter.

Penn Hills officers pursued the 2001 Jeep Cherokee after a woman reported it stolen about 6 p.m. from outside her boyfriend's home. She had gone inside and left the keys in the car because she thought her visit would be short. Chief Burton said she was startled when she heard the vehicle start and watched the boy drive it away. The couple did not know the boy.

The guy who's car was hit can get his car repaired by his own carrier (minus the deductible) -  that's what collision coverage is for.  Then his carrier can go after the owner's insurance carrier to get paid.  H/e the owner's carrier will deny coverage (as it should) b/c the car was stolen & driven without permission of the owner.  Unfortunately the victim is SOL.  The Judge should include restitution in the kid's sentence so he has to pay back everyone but that could  be years. 

ETA - the owner's insurance should pay the damage to her car under her policy - just won't pay for the damage to the other guy's car. 

AmandaJLewis

Thanks for clarifying Shelia. I guess I just assumed the car was running.

Meghan&Rich

Pitt Girl's post was funny!  My friend took her parent's car when she was 15...she ended up side swiping someone, and drove away until the cops ended up catching up to her. (fortunately no one was hurt)  My parents gave me a stern talking to about it and I wasn't even in any way involved (actually, I think we were on vacation when it happened)...so I am pretty sure had I done this at 14, they wouldn't be on the news pointing the finger at someone else, they'd be on for setting the world record for longest grounding sentence ever issued by a parent!  haha!

Jefsnickerdodle

kris356:

This p!ssed me off so bad!

Really, your kid STEALS a car and it is the owner's fault for running back into her house. Shut the front door! Lady, your 14 year old STOLE A CAR, it is his fault and yours for not knowing where he was and teaching him better. Take responsiblity for your actions.