Daughters car was stolen

[Lew]

Hi all, I don't know if I need advise or just to vent.. Last Friday My daughter gave a boy a ride to school, bad move cause mom and I have a no passenger rule. Anyway, at the start of 3rd period this boy comes to my daughter and asks if he can borrow the keys to her car because he left something in there. She gives him the keys. He decides to take the car and drive across the county to pick up a friend or?. Then starts speeding around until he rolls the car onto its side. He and the other guy hide from the CHP in the bushes and eventually escape on foot. My wife and I get a phone call from the CHP about the incident. We both jump in the car and go down and pick up my daughter from school and head over to the CHP office. My daughter tells the CHP where this boy, and they send an officer over to investigate. They find him and he admitts to the whole thing. All the officers involved come back and meet with my wife and I. Here is the bad part, because my daughter gave him the keys they will not file a stolen vehicle report. They are only going to charge him with driving without a license and fleeing the scene of an accident. So I have to go down and pay the towing company $202.00 to get the car out of hawk, call on a buddy to come down so we can tow the car back to my house, and take up matters of restitution with this boys parents on our own. So as it stands right now a 17 year old boy took a car without permission, went out and totaled it and law enfforcement does nothing about it. That kinda jabs me in the gut wrong. Today I talked with my insurance, and they told me they need to open up a file because the boy picked up a passenger, and he can sue for any injuries up until he is 19 years old. So, again WOW I in essence may get to pay on a BS law suit because a boy STOLE my car and destroyed it. We have a meeting with the parents of the boy tomorrow. With any luck they will just buck up and pay for the car. Here's hoping......
Thank for letting me vent :|
Lew

 

[Kawidude]

Wow, what an amazingly raw deal that is. Please make sure you keep us posted on how this ends up. Best of luck!

 

[WaltCMoto]

Try to stay calm with his parents (they didnt steal it) until they say they wont pay for the car. If they give you hassles, then call a lawyer.

Best of luck in this crappy situation.

 

[Senior KX Rider]

That sucks Lew. :| One of those "You live and you learn moments" for your daughter

 

[Treejumper]

Sorry to hear about the car. Atleast your daughter wasnt in it too! I still cant see how its not considered stolen as you daughter didnt give him permission to take off with it. That in my book is stealing.

 

[CAL]

Man, I hate to hear that!  Hope everything turns out well...or as well as it can in that situation. :|

 

[a454elk]

Lew, if you were down here, I'd file that in a heartbeat. Flat out, he was given the keys to open the doors and open the door only, not to drive it. Easy filing as far as I'm concerned, no questions because he took it without permission. You have to insist they take a stolen report, flat out. Push the issue, the car was taken and driven without permission, whether it was temporary or permanently. That is vehicle theft, 10851a V.C. Get me the names of the Office handling it, Officers, etc. This is wrong bud.
Carlo

 

[CanadianRidr]

And that's why I call you the leather cowboy.....err I mean the boss Elk!!! :)

Always taking charge :thumb: Keep up the good work!

ps. lew sorry to hear, the same thing happened on more than one occasion at my highschool. It puts people in a tough place.

 

[Lew]

Thanks all for the replies, and ELK for confirminig my interpretation of the vehicle code. I do have some real good news to report. We contacted the high school because we new they had a law enforcement relationship with the city police. They hooked us up with the liasion officer for the school and since the school is in the city (where the crime took place) they don't care what CHP has to say. The city PD is now on it, along with that the school has an inhouse program with the police department (I don't know all the logistics) and the boy who stole the car will be expelled. As I mentioned I had notified my insurance company about the incident. Today I met with their representative and he said for me to forget about dealing with the parents because that could just lead to future problems. He said since I had full coverage on the vehicle they will cover the car at no demeritts to me. The insurance company will then go after the parents to recoop their loss. All seems to be working out in the end.
One more side note - We found out that the boys step father is a retired CHP officer....hmmm
Thanks again
Lew

 

[a454elk]

Good news Lew, man that last line really says it all, sorry.:| If that's the case, his ass should be stepping up to the plate and handling the situation to the end. Good luck
Elk