A 10-year-old boy has crashed a van carrying four other people, after his drunk father made him drive home.
The boy reached speeds of up to 145km/h, driving through Sullivan County in Tennessee on Sunday, before the vehicle flipped onto its roof.
Wearing a T-shirt saying 'Buy This Dad A Beer' – the boy’s father, Randy Lewis claimed he was behind the wheel - but his son admitted to police it was really him.
43-year-old Lewis had downed 15 beers, as well as spirits, and was found to have traces of cocaine in his system.
He has been charged with drunk driving, and reckless endangerment – he is being held on $50,000 bond.
His female friend, Paula Evans, who was also in the car, was found to have four different types of pills in her purse.
“Paula Evans was standing in the roadway when officers arrived and she started swallowing as many pills as she could,” Public information officer Keith Elton told Times News.
38-year-old Evans, who broke a bone in her neck is also in custody, and is facing reckless endangerment, drug possession and child abuse charges.
The children, two 10-year-olds and a six-year-old, only suffered minor injuries - one has a broken hand, the other two suffered cuts and lacerations.
After being treated at hospital, the children were released to the Tennessee Children's Services Department.
