8-year-old designated driver gets dad arrested

It’s hard to find good help anymore.

Nudity was not among the list of charges, so I assume he was wearing pants.

Nudity was not among the list of charges, so I assume he was wearing pants.

Just ask Mississippi’s finest, Billy Joe Madden, 28, who let his 8-year-old son take the wheel while he tried to sleep off a few beers, according to an article in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Louisiana state troopers pulled the child over on I-12 as he attempted to drive from Mississippi to Dallas while dad snoozed in the passenger seat. His 4-year-old sister was in the back seat of the green Chevy pickup.

A concerned motorist called police at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday and said the boy was “driving erratically,” which is easy to do when you can’t reach the gas and brake pedals while keeping your head above the dashboard.

Dad was still drunk, police said.

The kids are now with child protective services. Dad is charged with allowing a minor to drive, keeping an open container in the vehicle, driving without a seat belt, two counts of child desertion and two counts of no child restraint.

Move over Balloon Boy dad, America has a new worst parent.

22 comments Add your comment

Stanley Crowe

August 2nd, 2011
5:17 pm

The mugshot really does say it all. I suppose this dimwit thought that it was the “responsible” thing to do. It always works out so well when Homer Simpson lets Bart drive for him.

coffeecoffee25

August 17th, 2011
12:50 pm

Whattaya mean “child desertion”? The kids were right there the whole time!