ianstone
03-19-2010, 07:06 AM
Boy, 5, takes father's 4x4 for four-mile joyride before crashing into a wall
By Luke Salkeld (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Luke+Salkeld)
Last updated at 8:25 AM on 19th March 2010 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1258917/Thomas-Chatfield-5-crashes-fathers-4x4-4-mile-joyride.html)
Trundling along at 10mph, he could hardly be described as a boy racer.
But as he just five years old, there was no telling what damage the driver of the 4x4 would do.
The boy, named locally as Thomas Chatfield, took his father's Mitsubishi Shogun automatic and drove it for four miles including a section of dual carriageway through the morning rush hour yesterday.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/18/article-1258917-08C614FF000005DC-762_468x286.jpg
Dangerous: A five-year-old boy was spotted driving along this stretch of the A27 near Chichester after stealing his father's 4x4
Motorists and pedestrians who phoned police could only see the top of his head as he bashed into two parked cars and dealt a passing vehicle a glancing blow.
After 20 minutes the tearful child's journey came to an end as he crashed the high-powered car into a brick wall.
Fortunately no one was injured and after being taken to hospital as a precaution, Thomas was reunited with his father. He had dialled 999 after waking to find his car and son missing from his home near Chichester, West Sussex.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/18/article-1258917-08C62437000005DC-344_468x286.jpg
Collision: Property owner Cynthia Rivett points to the damaged wall in Pook Lane, Lavant, which the boy crashed into
It is not clear exactly how Thomas managed to drive the car, but most modern Shogun models can be started simply by pressing the 'start' button. It is thought that Thomas would not even have needed to touch the pedal, as the automatic would have moved at low speed just by being in the drive mode.
Eyewitness Nathan Parkinson, 22, said: 'I had to do a double take because I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/19/article-1258917-08C6F4C9000005DC-276_468x287.jpg Damaged: the Mitsubishi Shogun after the incident
'I could just about make out a forehead above the steering wheel and a pair of eyes peeking through the gap. I jogged after it but struggled to keep up because it was going too fast.
'The car was revving loudly and jolting backwards and forwards. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt and looked like he was standing.'
Thomas's thankfully low- speed journey had taken in a dual carriageway section of the A27 from Tangmere towards Chichester before he turned north on the A285.
He then steered his way past the famous Goodwood airfield, which is home to a motor racing track, and turned down a country road. A concerned driver who had followed him helped him out of the vehicle when it crashed and called police and an ambulance. There was minor damage to the 4x4.
Thomas's mother, Jessica, was said to have been extremely shaken by the incident.
Enlarge http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/18/article-1258917-08C631AF000005DC-29_468x261.jpg (http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/18/article-1258917-08C631AF000005DC-29_468x261_popup.jpg)
Route: Where the five-year-old drove before he crashed into a wall
A neighbour, who would not give her name, said: 'Jessica had been asleep and Thomas had taken the keys from her handbag.
'She was utterly shocked by what had happened and I have been comforting her.
'He often travels in the car with his mum and has seen how she presses the button down to put the car into reverse.
'Thomas is obviously a clever boy who has learnt to drive by watching his mum.'
Police said Thomas and other road users had a 'lucky escape'.
A West Sussex Police spokesman added: 'I believe the boy was crying after he had the accident because he was a bit shaken, but for a five-year-old he had driven quite well.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1258917/Thomas-Chatfield-5-crashes-fathers-4x4-4-mile-joyride.html#ixzz0icShLI9M (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1258917/Thomas-Chatfield-5-crashes-fathers-4x4-4-mile-joyride.html#ixzz0icShLI9M)
By Luke Salkeld (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Luke+Salkeld)
Last updated at 8:25 AM on 19th March 2010 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1258917/Thomas-Chatfield-5-crashes-fathers-4x4-4-mile-joyride.html)
Trundling along at 10mph, he could hardly be described as a boy racer.
But as he just five years old, there was no telling what damage the driver of the 4x4 would do.
The boy, named locally as Thomas Chatfield, took his father's Mitsubishi Shogun automatic and drove it for four miles including a section of dual carriageway through the morning rush hour yesterday.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/18/article-1258917-08C614FF000005DC-762_468x286.jpg
Dangerous: A five-year-old boy was spotted driving along this stretch of the A27 near Chichester after stealing his father's 4x4
Motorists and pedestrians who phoned police could only see the top of his head as he bashed into two parked cars and dealt a passing vehicle a glancing blow.
After 20 minutes the tearful child's journey came to an end as he crashed the high-powered car into a brick wall.
Fortunately no one was injured and after being taken to hospital as a precaution, Thomas was reunited with his father. He had dialled 999 after waking to find his car and son missing from his home near Chichester, West Sussex.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/18/article-1258917-08C62437000005DC-344_468x286.jpg
Collision: Property owner Cynthia Rivett points to the damaged wall in Pook Lane, Lavant, which the boy crashed into
It is not clear exactly how Thomas managed to drive the car, but most modern Shogun models can be started simply by pressing the 'start' button. It is thought that Thomas would not even have needed to touch the pedal, as the automatic would have moved at low speed just by being in the drive mode.
Eyewitness Nathan Parkinson, 22, said: 'I had to do a double take because I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/19/article-1258917-08C6F4C9000005DC-276_468x287.jpg Damaged: the Mitsubishi Shogun after the incident
'I could just about make out a forehead above the steering wheel and a pair of eyes peeking through the gap. I jogged after it but struggled to keep up because it was going too fast.
'The car was revving loudly and jolting backwards and forwards. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt and looked like he was standing.'
Thomas's thankfully low- speed journey had taken in a dual carriageway section of the A27 from Tangmere towards Chichester before he turned north on the A285.
He then steered his way past the famous Goodwood airfield, which is home to a motor racing track, and turned down a country road. A concerned driver who had followed him helped him out of the vehicle when it crashed and called police and an ambulance. There was minor damage to the 4x4.
Thomas's mother, Jessica, was said to have been extremely shaken by the incident.
Enlarge http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/18/article-1258917-08C631AF000005DC-29_468x261.jpg (http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/03/18/article-1258917-08C631AF000005DC-29_468x261_popup.jpg)
Route: Where the five-year-old drove before he crashed into a wall
A neighbour, who would not give her name, said: 'Jessica had been asleep and Thomas had taken the keys from her handbag.
'She was utterly shocked by what had happened and I have been comforting her.
'He often travels in the car with his mum and has seen how she presses the button down to put the car into reverse.
'Thomas is obviously a clever boy who has learnt to drive by watching his mum.'
Police said Thomas and other road users had a 'lucky escape'.
A West Sussex Police spokesman added: 'I believe the boy was crying after he had the accident because he was a bit shaken, but for a five-year-old he had driven quite well.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1258917/Thomas-Chatfield-5-crashes-fathers-4x4-4-mile-joyride.html#ixzz0icShLI9M (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1258917/Thomas-Chatfield-5-crashes-fathers-4x4-4-mile-joyride.html#ixzz0icShLI9M)