PHOENIX — A person suffered minor injuries after a 6-year-old took their parents' truck for a joyride and crashed it into a house down the street in Glendale on Tuesday morning.
“A neighbor actually called me in the morning at 6 a.m. and woke me up because she says there’s a car in my parents’ house,” said Ligia Visoan, a member of the family whose house was hit.
“I thought she was joking at first, but nope, it really happened.”
The Glendale Police Department said the child grabbed his father’s keys off the bathroom counter shortly before 6 a.m. while his father was getting dressed.
His father heard the truck engine rev and ran outside. By then, the truck had already crashed into the home near 83rd and Northern avenues.
Visoan’s sister was sleeping in the bedroom where the truck struck the house.
“She actually got flung from her bed and hit the closet doors, but she’s fine,” said Visoan. “She had some scratches and bruises, but that’s it.”
With the child behind the wheel, the truck crashed through a neighborhood power box, cutting power to surrounding homes. When it struck the house, it broke the main water pipe and a gas line.
“My family was all trying to close the windows because of the gas,” said Julie Espinoza, a 14-year-old neighbor who has known the Visoan family all her life.
“And they [her family] were yelling about [possible] gas fires.’
Espinoza has some infants and toddlers in her home next door. As she spoke to 12 News, she pointed out their rooms were right next to where the truck crashed into her neighbor’s home.
“If that car went that way [to the right], they probably would have hit babies.” Said Espinoza.
12 News was allowed into the Visoan home while the family was cleaning up.
Water flooded much of the home and debris was scattered down a hallway. There will be a lot of repairs ahead for the Visoan family, but they are just happy no one was seriously hurt.
“I mean, we’re just glad everyone is OK,” said Visoan. “Including the six-year-old boy; he’s a kid, he didn’t know.”
Glendale Police told 12 News that the boy and his family will not face any charges in this incident. Sgt. Randy Stewart cautioned parents to never underestimate their children when it comes to safety.
This is a developing situation. Stay tuned to 12 News for the latest.