The unnamed youngster, who could hardly see over the dash, was stopped by the police on Saturday morning about five kilometres from his home in Lapeer, Michigan.
"I opened the door and asked him what he was doing," Lapeer County Sheriff's Deputy Karl Sapp said on Sunday. "He told me he was going to the dealer to get the car fixed."
The boy's parents were home sleeping about 7:30 am (local time) and didn't know the child was gone with the family's car, authorities said.
The boy initially was heading to a Chinese restaurant as he wanted more of the food he'd eaten the previous night but when he got to the restaurant he found it was shut. There weren't many other vehicles on the road during his joyride.
The boy told police that he had watched his dad drive. He had the seat all the way forward when he was stopped.
"I don't know how he was able to operate everything and see at the same time," Sapp said. "Apparently, he was close enough that he could reach the pedals."
Two other motorists called 911 to report erratic driving.
An officer woke the boy's father and brought him to the scene. The father drove the car back. It was unclear whether police would seek any charges.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
