12-Year-Old Boy Leads New Mexico Police On Crazy Chase

Read the full story on The Auto Wire

It wasn’t that long ago that 12-year-olds would drive cars in rural areas of many parts of the country and it was no big deal. But this 12-year-old in Las Cruces, New Mexico decided to take what seems to be the family SUV out for a reckless cruise, and quite a few people dialed 911 to report the problem. He probably didn’t realize it, but the kid had under his possession a heavy battering ram capable of doing serious damage.

See the aftermath of a road rage incident that killed two Porsche enthusiasts here.

We know some people will blame video games like Grand Theft Auto or Need For Speed for this kid’s behavior. Maybe those games taught him a few “tricks” in driving, but we have to admit he handles the real-world physics and physical requirements of driving a fairly heavy SUV in a pursuit situation better than many adults handle just commuting in one.

That’s not to say we applaud or condone what this kid did. It was reckless, selfish, and thankfully didn’t end with one or more fatalities, mainly his own. A 12-year-old doesn’t fully understand the gravity of this sort of situation, so we can imagine to the kid it was all just a fun game.

His friends he picks up mid-chase seem to have more sense than him. After experiencing Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride for a little bit, they got out of the SUV and that was a good thing. Any of them could’ve been hurt when this pursuit came to a sudden, violent conclusion. The minivan he hit head-on had kids in it. Luckily, only the mom was hurt, not like the 12-year-old would’ve cared.

Of course, this kid blamed everything on his friends, saying they made him drive the SUV. Police found 9mm ammo on him and after searching located a 9mm handgun he threw out the window, casting serious doubt on his story of victimhood. Maybe he learned that from GTA as well?