A 10-year-old boy took his parents' SUV for a joyride that came to a crashing end, the family said Thursday.
Zilan Fitch said he became angry after he was punished so he decided to take his mother's SUV.
"I just pressed the brakes and turned that on and put it in reverse," Zilan said. "I just tapped the brakes a little, and when I was ready, I pulled (the gears) all the way."
The Montgomery County boy's mother said she panicked when she looked out her window Wednesday at 9:10 a.m. and saw her son backing out of their driveway.
"By the time I got down to the driveway, he's down the street," she said.
Christi Sanders said she hopped into another vehicle and followed Zilan down Rayford Road. She said he was staying in his lane and even used his turn signals.
"We tried stopping him at first, and he just floored it and started driving faster," Sanders said. "I was just praying that he wasn't going to kill himself or someone else."
Sanders called police for help. Zilan would not stop driving on the busy street during rush hour. His mother said he even led deputies on a chase.
Zilan was hit from behind when he slammed on his brakes at a red light, but he kept driving until he pulled over at a doughnut shop's parking lot, his mother said.
"I saw the cop, so I put it in park, unlocked the doors and the guy was like 'Holy ...! Pull over!'" Zilan said. "I was scared because they arrested me."
"I still don't think he knows how serious — I don't think he understands that he could have killed somebody," Sanders said.
No one was injured.
"What did you learn?" KPRC Local 2 asked Zilan.
"Sitting in jail, we had to sleep on a metal bed," answered the boy.
Zilan was charged with a felony — unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was taken to juvenile detention but was released to his family.
