Two young kids go on wild fun ride

Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 00:00





GUILDERLAND — Last Friday, 7-year-old and a 5-year-old took their driving test early.

Guilderland Police said the two young boys took the keys to the family’s minivan around 9 p.m. on Friday after their grandmother and mother had gone to sleep for the evening.

Sergeant Adam Meyers said the two boys then got into the van and backed out of their home on Fort Hunter Road, crashing into a neighbor’s fence before hitting the open road. The 7-year-old took the wheel while his younger brother enjoyed the ride from the front passenger seat, according to police reports.

Police received several calls, reporting two boys driving a car and hitting mailboxes.
"They drove from there along Rosedale Way and across West Lydius Street, striking several mailboxes along the route," Meyers told The Enterprise. A cluster of mailboxes were destroyed during the pursuit, he added.

The boys’ names are not being released due to their age, Meyers said.
"The 7-year old then turned around and almost struck a police cruiser"We continued to follow him, then he stopped and we blocked him in with the police cars, and he put the vehicle in park," said Meyers.

No one was hurt during the incident and there was no damage to police vehicles, but police say that the minivan the boys hijacked has been totaled.

Meyers said he had never seen this type of incident in his years on the Guilderland Police force.
"We don’t foresee any criminal charges," Meyers said, but added that the case is still under investigation by the Guilderland Police and the Department of Child Protective Services.

Tags:

More Guilderland News

  • Board rallies for VP, votes on tax breaks, hears about reserves and capital project

    While the board’s solidarity for Kelly Person was clear, the board had a rare split vote on granting tax exemptions for low-income elderly and disabled residents. The board also heard a presentation about the district’s reserves and updates on a capital project and reaction to a potential smartphone ban.

  • Hochul launches campaign for statewide smartphone ban, starting with the next school year

    In her executive budget, Hochul included $13.5 million for schools that need help in purchasing pouches or cubbies to store cell phones during the school day. The Guilderland superintendent, Marie Wiles, has estimated it would cost the suburban district with roughly 5,000 students about $110,000 for the next school year. Hochul’s plan is to implement the policy for the 2025-26 school year.

  • USPS surveys Altamont customers on relocation

    The mailer is asking recipients to weigh in on a new Altamont Post Office, stating, “Because of a space deficiency, USPS proposes moving to a building of approximately 6,000 square feet with 30+ parking spaces within the preferred zip code 12009. The proposed new facility will maintain the same level of service and eliminate the space constraints at the current facility.”

The Altamont Enterprise is focused on hyper-local, high-quality journalism. We produce free election guides, curate readers' opinion pieces, and engage with important local issues. Subscriptions open full access to our work and make it possible.