San Anselmo police: Couple used boy, 13, as designated driver

Gary Klien

Marin Independent Journal

10/05/2009 08:03:24 PM PDT
     

A couple was arrested in San Anselmo on allegations they let a 13-year-old boy drive them home from a restaurant because they both feared getting another DUI, authorities said.

The incident occurred Sunday night after the couple and the boy, who is related to one of the suspects, had dinner at a downtown restaurant, said San Anselmo police Sgt. Rob Schneider.

The couple, who have several drunken driving convictions between them, had been drinking that night and did not want to risk a new DUI arrest, so they had the boy drive, Schneider said.

The boy started to drive home, but he soon stopped the vehicle in the middle of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard near The Hub.

Police came upon the stalled vehicle and stopped to investigate.

"The story that he gave was that it freaked him out, so he stopped and refused to drive anymore," Schneider said.

The 32-year-old woman and the 29-year-old man were booked into the county jail early Monday morning on suspicion of felony child endangerment and misdemeanor public intoxication. Bail was set at $50,000.

The boy was released to another family member at the San Anselmo police station.

The woman, a Mill Valley resident, was charged Monday with a misdemeanor count of child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, said Deputy District Attorney Charles Cacciatore.

She was also charged with allowing a minor to drive, an infraction. The vehicle, a Land Rover, was on loan to her while her own car was in the repair shop, Schneider said.

Her boyfriend, a San Rafael resident, was not charged.

Both were released from jail Monday night. The woman was scheduled to appear for arraignment next week.