Saturday’s annual Lapeer Road Country Cruise turned into a nightmare for one classic car owner when an unlicensed and allegedly drunk 16-year-old Oxford Township resident smashed into his prized vehicle.
Three misdemeanor charges are pending against the teenage male including operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, failing to stop and identify himself at the scene of a property damage accident and driving without a license.
According to Oxford Village Police Chief Mike Neymanowski, a Preliminary Breath Test was administered and the teenager had a blood alcohol content of 0.16 ? double the legal limit.
He was released to the custody of his parents.
The crash occurred at the intersection of S. Washington (M-24) and Stanton streets in downtown Oxford.
A 1970 two-door Mercury, driven by a 53-year-old Mayville man, was headed north on S. Washington St. when the teenager, who was driving a 1999 silver Chevy minivan west on Stanton St., allegedly disregarded the stop sign at the intersection and crashed into the passenger side of the classic car.
Instead of staying at the scene, the teenager allegedly fled by crossing M-24 and heading west down Dennison St., according to the Oxford Village Police report.
A Dennison St. resident described both the vehicle and driver to police and told them which way he was headed.
Police followed a heavy trail of fluid that was leaking from the front-end damage the minivan sustained in the accident.
When the officer turned and headed north on Pontiac St., he discovered several unidentified subjects attempting to push the minivan out of the northbound lane.
According to the police report, the teenager stopped at a Pontiac St. residence, which was hosting a graduation party unrelated to this incident, and asked for help in removing his vehicle from the road.
The minivan the teenager was driving belonged to a neighbor who received three misdemeanor citations of her own as a result of this incident.
According to Neymanowski, the investigation indicated the neighbor was aware that he was driving her vehicle.
The neighbor was cited for allowing an unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle, permitting a person under the influence of alcohol to operate a motor vehicle, and furnishing liquor to a minor.
‘Apparently, they were all over at her house partying a little bit,? the chief noted.