An early-morning call of a possible kidnapping in Broward County turned out to be something totally different — with police surprised at who they found behind the wheel.
Hollywood police said they received a call around 6:30 a.m. from a woman saying she feared her 11-year-old daughter had been kidnapped.
The girl had borrowed her mother’s car keys to get a school book out of the car, but still hadn’t come back inside moments later, the mother said, when the car was missing.
A search began for the car, which was spotted near the intersection of University Drive and Stirling Road — with the young girl driving it, police said. Officers continued to follow the vehicle until it crashed near Weston Road and State Road 84, over 10 miles away.
The girl plowed into a BMW, causing some damage, according to police. The driver of that car, Richard Champagne, was surprised to learn who was behind the wheel. He said the 11-year-old drove in the wrong direction toward his car.
"She would've been killed by ongoing traffic. My car is crashed. I'm not feeling well. I have to get checked out at the hospital," Champagne said.
The child, who police have not named, was taken to an area hospital as a precaution. Investigators say she will be charged with aggravated fleeing police and driving without a license.
Courtesy of our news partner at NBC Miami