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Teenager puts pick up in a lake

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cshorelvr

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? South Dakota

Last night my 15 year old daughter spent the night at a friends house. They both snuck out to go to a party several miles away from home....another county and town and after curfew (when at home my daughter has to be home no later than 11 pm if someone over 16 is driving 10 pm if anyone under 15 is driving). There was drinking at the party, every one there was under age. My daughter was with some friends of a friend, one of them was so drunk he (he is 18) was stumbling to "his" pick up. He hit his head on the door. My daughter was concerned and asked him if he was ok to drive. He said no and handed her the keys. My daughter (she has her learners permit, in SD kids have their license at 14) thought she was doing the right thing by making sure he got home safely. Well on the way to his friends house where he was spending the night, she hit some loose gravel and lost control of the pick up. She swerved around on the road a bit before going off in a ditch and landing the pick up in water. No one was hurt thankfully. This happened around 3 am which they had no business being out that late. The toy boys went to get a tracter to pull the truck out. They couldn't so the father of the drunk kid was called. Well come to find out it wasn't the kids pick up after all, it was his fathers and the kid didn't have permission to drive it.
The sherriff showed up at my house first thing this morning looking for my daughter, supposedly she was dropped off at home. I naturally freaked because of what happened. My daughter was actually dropped off at the friends house who she was spending the night at. That girls mother had no idea that anything had happened....that is until I showed up to take my daughter down to the police station.
My daughter got two tickets....one driving on a restricted permit after hours (even those under 16 with a license can't drive after 10 pm) and not reporting an accident. On top of that she may not be able to get her license until she is 18 now (fine by me).
My question is, actually I have a few, 1. Am I responsible for the damage done to the pick up even though the other kid stole it?
2. Can the owners of the house where the party was be equally responsible for damages? After all everyone was under age (my daughter wasn't drinking that is why she thought it was best for her to drive).
Yes my daughter is in trouble...she is grounded until she turns grey!
3. What about the mother where my daughter was staying? Isn't it correct that I left my daughter in her care and since I thought my daughter was safe at "home" shouldn't that mother be somewhat responsible?
I'm not trying to get out of my responsibilities or lessen the degree my daughter is in trouble. Others were involved and they should be in trouble just as well.
Thanks for any advice
LynnWhat is the name of your state?
 


moburkes

Senior Member
Your daughter was driving a stolen vehicle, so she is responsible for the damages that she caused. Also, not being rude, but you don't know for sure that your daughter wasn't drinking. I can say that I didn't drink when I was at those types of parties, but I was in the minority. Your daughter may not have been drinking, but more than likely, she was.
 

cshorelvr

Junior Member
My daughter wasn't drinking. The police were going to test her but didn't feel it necessary. Part of me wanted them to do it anyway just to prove to myself she wasn't lying.
She didn't know the truck was stolen. The guy told her and others that it was his truck. She didn't know it was his fathers until after the accident. The police later told her that he didn't have permission to drive it.
Believe me my daughter is in trouble for this. I feel if I pay the fine she isn't going to learn a lesson from all of this. So I am going to talk to someone in the courts about maybe her doing community service or something to work off the fines. I don't feel losing her license is enough, I wasn't going to let her get it until she was 16 anyway despite the fact that kids can get their licese at 14.
 

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