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Dearborn Heights mayor has man's SUV impounded for teen son's driving
The mayor of Dearborn Heights is cracking down on reckless driving after a 17-year-old was caught on camera driving across a lawn and speeding away. In a video on the city's social media, the father of the boy has his Range Rover impounded with a court date for the teen set.
FOX 2 - The City of Dearborn Heights is cracking down on reckless driving - and a new video shared on social media couldn't make it more clear.
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In the video, Mayor Mo Baydoun and a police sergeant tell a resident that due to his son's reckless driving which was caught on camera, the vehicle is going to be impounded.
"I'm letting (your son) know that there's going to be a zero tolerance for this in the city of Dearborn Heights," Baydoun said to the man at the front door. "Today (he) is going to get a reckless driving ticket and we're going to tow his Range Rover."
During the doorstep visit, footage is added showing a clip from a neighbor's Nest camera of a black Range Rover intentionally driving over the lawn of a house.
The father replied it is his vehicle, promising to not let him drive it anymore.
"Unfortunately, today we're going to take the car. He's going to get arrested," Baydoun said.
"It's my vehicle, give me a break. I'm his dad, he's a kid," the father said.
"Unfortunately, he was driving the car at the time, but the car will be impounded and he will have to show up to court for a misdemeanor of reckless driving," Baydoun said. "If you see the video, you'd be very, very disappointed."
At that point the man's 17-year-old son spoke up — not to his benefit.
"I didn't do it on purpose, I was busting a U-turn and I went on the grass," he said.
"You don't bust a U-turn on grass," said the police sergeant. "So you want to lie to me? You're just making this worse on yourself."
"I'm not lying," he said.
"Also, you shouldn't be smiling," the mayor said.
Despite the pleas from the teenager's father, video then shows the Range Rover being towed on a flatbed truck to be impounded.
Baydon ended the video wanting to send a message to all parents, urging them to have a conversation with their kids.
"Parents, yesterday a 17-year-old child vandalized a neighborhood, drove up on grass," the mayor said. "We're letting everybody know if you're going to drive recklessly in our neighborhoods, we're going to hold you accountable.
"This is a message to all the parents, have a conversation with your children, It's not okay, 17 years old we're gonna come take the car away from them."
The Source: Information for this story including video and pictures, are from a video posted by the city of Dearborn Heights on social media.