Girl, 11, charged with DUI after high-speed chase.

[William33 110]

Girl, 11, leads police on chase at speeds up to 100 mph.

Car flips after 8-mile chase; girl slightly injured.

Girl tells police she was on her way to pick up her sister at a concert.

Blood alcohol level not released; it was higher than .02, police said.

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama (AP) -- Police who chased a car for miles along a highway at speeds up to 100 mph said the driver was drunk, hardly a rarity in this resort town. But there was more: When they looked inside the flipped vehicle with guns drawn, they found an 11-year-old girl at the wheel.

"You go up there thinking it's a felon you're dealing with," assistant police Chief Greg Duck said.

The girl, who was slightly injured in the crash, is now charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident. Duck said she sideswiped another vehicle during the roughly 8-mile chase.

The chase began around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday when a patrol officer near the Florida line saw the car speeding west along a beach highway, Duck said. When the officer flicked on his lights, the driver sped up. The girl rolled the car just inside the Gulf Shores city limit.

Duck said the girl, whose name was not released because of her age, told police she was on her way to pick up her sister at a concert.

Investigators found no alcohol in the car but believe the girl drank before getting behind the wheel of the car, which belongs to relatives.

Duck declined to release the girl's blood alcohol level but said a blood test at the hospital showed it was higher than .02, the legal limit for minors.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/06/child.dri...e.ap/index.html

She may need some serious parenting, but no jail time or "formal" charges. The aformentioned charge is excessive in my book.

.02? That is one dose of cough syrup or she may have had 1 beer? Who knows?

This case should be turned over to the parents for correction. Time will prove out any other intent.

Thoughts?

Edited July 7, 2007 by William33

[L_n_O 3]

oh wow..

I'm going there in august on vacation/friend's wedding...

[Nessa 23]

wow. 11, driving and drunk. Unbelievable

[CountryBoy 0]

any responisble adult in this case should face charges ..

an 11 year old kid still has a chance to change with the right surroundings, get rid of the idiots that are putting her in the wrong surroundings

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I knew it was in the south before I even read the story.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I don't have a problem with this being a criminal matter, as well as parental. Depending on the circumstances and amount of knowledge adults in her life had of her intent to drive (to say nothing of potentially drinking, although it could be Nyquil who knows) they should perhaps face charges as well.

I guess I have a personal bias against idiots of any age who endanger others for no logical reason.

[kittykatwoman 0]

Wow great parenting! Unfortunately I assume it is just the beginning of a long criminal life for this young girl. I would say at 11 it's too late to undo what her parent did or did not.

The parents should be sterilized!

[L_n_O 3]

someone needs to shake her

she shouldn't be allowed to get her license til 18 now..

[archie07 0]

Girl, 11, leads police on chase at speeds up to 100 mph.

Car flips after 8-mile chase; girl slightly injured.

Girl tells police she was on her way to pick up her sister at a concert.

Blood alcohol level not released; it was higher than .02, police said.

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama (AP) -- Police who chased a car for miles along a highway at speeds up to 100 mph said the driver was drunk, hardly a rarity in this resort town. But there was more: When they looked inside the flipped vehicle with guns drawn, they found an 11-year-old girl at the wheel.

"You go up there thinking it's a felon you're dealing with," assistant police Chief Greg Duck said.

The girl, who was slightly injured in the crash, is now charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident. Duck said she sideswiped another vehicle during the roughly 8-mile chase.

The chase began around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday when a patrol officer near the Florida line saw the car speeding west along a beach highway, Duck said. When the officer flicked on his lights, the driver sped up. The girl rolled the car just inside the Gulf Shores city limit.

Duck said the girl, whose name was not released because of her age, told police she was on her way to pick up her sister at a concert.

Investigators found no alcohol in the car but believe the girl drank before getting behind the wheel of the car, which belongs to relatives.

Duck declined to release the girl's blood alcohol level but said a blood test at the hospital showed it was higher than .02, the legal limit for minors.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/06/child.dri...e.ap/index.html

She may need some serious parenting, but no jail time or "formal" charges. The aformentioned charge is excessive in my book.

.02? That is one dose of cough syrup or she may have had 1 beer? Who knows?

This case should be turned over to the parents for correction. Time will prove out any other intent.

Thoughts?

Two traffic infractions and two misdemeanors. Most likely in my opinion the judge will sentence her to community service and juvenile probation, plus pay the traffic fines. Her parents will be responsible for the damage to the other persons vehicle. Hopefully the girl and her parents will learn a lesson.

[Ban Hammer 14,291]

someone needs to shake her

she shouldn't be allowed to get her license til 18 now..

[Niels Bohr 72]

The girl is a minor, and the parents should be held responsible. And, not only the parents will be disciplined, the girl will be too. This will teach her a very unforgettable lesson.