Police: Child drove car for drunken dad

CAPE CORAL, Fla., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- A 27-year-old man in Cape Coral, Fla., had his 9-year-old son drive him to a liquor store because he was too drunk to drive, police allege.

Cape Coral police said Joshua James Fagan has been charged in relation to the alleged driving incident last week, while the state Department of Children and Families confirmed the matter is now under investigation, The News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla., said Wednesday.

Police officers said they witnessed Fagan's truck drive onto a road median last Wednesday and upon investigating the accident, found a young child controlling the vehicle.

Officer Daniel Barbour's official report states that Fagan said he was teaching his son to drive.

"Fagan's speech was noticeably slurred and I could smell the odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage on his breath," Barbour also wrote in his report.

The News-Press said Fagan was charged with allowing an unlicensed minor to operate a vehicle and child cruelty that could result in mental or physical injury.