In a startling incident in St. Joseph County, a 10-year-old boy is safe after he reportedly commandeered a family member’s SUV and subsequently crashed it into a pond early Monday morning. The police were alerted to a vehicle theft in the River Park area just before 7:30 a.m., where it was discovered that the young boy had taken the vehicle.
As the situation unfolded, multiple reports surfaced of the SUV being driven erratically along Ironwood Drive, including a hit-and-run incident at the intersection with Pleasant Street. The chaotic drive continued beyond the South Bend city limits, with a mailbox reported damaged near Fellows Street and Jackson Road. The chase came to a dramatic end when the vehicle sped across the lawn of St. Jude Catholic Church and plunged into a pond on the property.
Miraculously, the boy managed to exit the SUV by himself and was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. This incident raises critical concerns about vehicle security and the importance of keeping car keys out of reach of children, underscoring the potential dangers of youthful curiosity combined with access to automobiles.