14-year-old driver crashes Jeep on Parkway East, Mother blames owner of other car

[Grapefruits]

14-year-old driver crashes Jeep on Parkway East

Crash closes parkway for hours

CHURCHILL, Pa. - A high-speed chase led to a crash Sunday along Interstate 376 that closed the highway for hours, and the driver is only 14 years old.

State police said the chase began when Penn Hills police saw what they believed was a stolen car. They said the chase had been called off, but the driver still lost control and clipped a car.

Brandon DiGiorgio was driving the car hit by the suspect. He said he saw police lights approaching behind him at Mile Marker 79.5 and thought officers were just trying to pull someone over for speeding until the Jeep Grand Cherokee sideswiped him, hit a guiderail and went airborne.

"I didn't know what was going on. It was crazy," DiGiorgio said.

The driver of the Jeep was thrown about 30 feet from the vehicle and was taken to a hospital. He has not been publicly identified because of his age.

“It was an opportunity that, in a 14-year-old's eyes, was at the perfect time and at the perfect moment,” said the boy’s mother.

She told Channel 4 Action News reporter Amber Nicotra that her son is in a medically-induced coma in critical but stable condition at UPMC Mercy hospital and will require surgery, especially plastic surgery to the left side of his face.

The boy’s mother said she’s not letting her son off the hook, but feels the owner of the vehicle should have been more responsible.

“I'm not downplaying my son's role in taking something that didn't belong to him, but I am saying they actually left their keys in the car and the vehicle could have been taken by anybody,” she said.

“He had no right to chase my son, which it could have been a situation. Maybe it could have been just a joyride down the street. Maybe he wanted to go farther than he felt like walking,” she said.

But the owner of the Jeep, Melissa Leon, told Channel 4 Action News she left her keys in her purse, meaning the boy must have gone through her things to find them.

“She’s telling me I’m irresponsible? You didn’t even know where your child was. Where were you?” Leon said. “I worked four jobs while I went to school, approximately 100 hours a week. I had bought my car (with) cash that was mine."

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Robin Mungo said leaving keys in the car may be irresponsible, but not against the law.

“There is no law that says you cannot keep your keys in your vehicle. Now is that careless? Yes it is, but it is not against the law,” said Mungo.

Police closed the westbound lanes of the Parkway East, which led to a backup that stretched for several miles.

Police said the boy will face charges.

[Ghostsof1915]

[Pears]

[Magikal]

The child and the mother should both be sterilized.

[GoaltenderInterference]

[Rey]

Charge the parents and justice will be served.

[Where's Wellwood]

Standing up for your kid who's in a coma is one thing, but her arguments for justifying her child's actions are so empty, that she just sounds like an idiot.

[Nuckswillwinitall]

*Shakes her head at Americans

[:D]

"It's just joyriding, what's the big deal?"

Is this a race thing yet?

[*VaNcOuVeRCaNuCkS*]

[Primal Optimist]

I will be judged a jerk for saying that I really don't care if the child lives or not, but I don't. Obviously if it was my nephew or child I would, but nah, not even interested in how it turns out, other than I hope the woman whose property was stolen is somehow compensated by insurance or through a lawsuit against the childs family. Seriously folks learn 2 parent and I might care about your kids a bit more, for now though, like this afternoon, the kid skateboarding down our lane at 25km's an hour who skided out into traffic uncontrollably at the end..i wasn't worried he was going to die, i was worried i would have to give a statement and waste a day in court over it. I rather wish he would come to harm so as to stop putting others in harms way by his actions. LEarn to Parent, your kids are little crapes.

[Common sense]

What a dolt.

[NightHawkSniper]

The first part sounded ok but then she went full retard.

[Lockhart]

So she didn't blame it on the Canadians at costco?

[Guest BuckFoston]

The first part sounded ok but then she went full retard.

[Jägermeister]

Stupid parents raise stupid children.

[Armada]

In America it's never your fault.

[Nuckswillwinitall]

In America it's never your fault.

[Squirrels.Gone.Wild]

“I'm not downplaying my son's role in taking something that didn't belong to him, but I am saying they actually left their keys in the car and the vehicle could have been taken by anybody,” she said.

“He had no right to chase my son, which it could have been a situation. Maybe it could have been just a joyride down the street. Maybe he wanted to go farther than he felt like walking,” she said.

[Hugemanskost]

I see parents exactly like this in the office of our school on a daily basis.

It's great to support your kids, but, to consistently make excuses and enable them is only going to create another enabling, excuse-making adult.

The sense of entitlement these days in our youth is outrageous and it is often created by parents.