Deaf Boy, 11, Takes Mother's Car On Joyride Through OKC

An 11-year-old boy, who is also hearing impaired, took his mother's car on a joyride through the metro, early Thursday morning.

Thursday, March 12th 2015, 6:53 pm

By: News 9


An 11-year-old boy, who is also hearing impaired, took his mother's car on a joyride through the metro, early Thursday morning.

The ride ended when the boy crashed his mom's car into a curb. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

The boy took off from his home in Moore in the middle of the night and wound up near Wilshire and May. A driver eventually spotted him and called 911.

Steve Von Tungeln: There's a car up in the bushes here and a little boy running around the street who, who…

Dispatch: Did it wreck?

Steve Von Tungeln: Yes. Yes it did.

Dispatch: Is anyone injured?

Steve Von Tungeln: I don't believe so.

Steve Von Tungeln: He tells me, or motions to me that he was driving. I can't understand what he's saying.

Oklahoma City Police aren't sure how long the boy was out on the road or even the route he took before crashing into the bushes outside a gated neighborhood.

One neighbor who lives in Nichols Gate says it's a miracle he made it this far.

“It's shocking that he, you know that this child made it that far and survived. [He] didn't hurt anybody or himself. It's kind of a miracle actually,” said Nancy Johnsen, who lives in the neighborhood.

Police passed notes back and forth to communicate with the hearing impaired boy. Through those notes police were able to track down the boy's parents. When his mother got there the two passionately communicated through sign language.

News 9 reached out to the boy's mother on Thursday. She declined to interview with us, but did explain her son has a learning disability and wasn't aware of the danger he put himself and other in.

The boy went home with his mother Thursday morning. Police are not investigating his parents for neglect or abuse.

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