Ontario Provincial Police say no charges will be laid against an 11-year-old boy who led officers on a wild chase on a major highway north of Toronto after playing a violent video game.
Sgt. Kerry Schmidt of the OPP’s Highway Safety Division said police received reports after 11 p.m. Saturday of an erratic-moving vehicle just north of Toronto.
“Drivers called it in thinking it was probably an impaired driver, because the vehicle was all over the highway,” Schmidt said in a video posted to the OPP’s Highway Safety Division Twitter page on Sunday.
(click on the Periscope video to listen to Sgt. Schmidt)
LIVE on #Periscope: An 11 year old driver stopped on Hwy 400 and more impaired drivers https://t.co/mXpgYJR9Fd
— Sgt Kerry Schmidt (@OPP_HSD) November 27, 2016
When police finally managed to bring the vehicle to a stop, they were shocked to find an 11-year-old boy behind the wheel.
“(He) had just been finishing playing Grand Theft Auto at home and wanted to find out what it was like driving a car,” Schmidt said.
Grand Theft Auto is a series of popular and violent video games in which players score points through murder, car theft and high-speed driving. According to Schmidt, the child’s parents were sleeping at the time of the stunt.
“Here we have an influence of a video game making kids try things without their parents’ knowledge or consent,” Schmidt said Sunday. “An absolute tragedy waiting to happen.”
The child was returned home by police. The car was also towed back home.
11 year old boy returned to parents after failing to stop for police on Hwy400…
Wanted to drive after playing #GrandTheftAuto— Sgt Kerry Schmidt (@OPP_HSD) November 27, 2016
With files from The Canadian Press
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