Drunk Family Pulls Girl, 7, in Toy Car Behind SUV
Meet Belinda and Paul Berloni -- they're in the running for grandparents of the year. Or not.
The couple was pulled over on Sunday afternoon when a Sheriff's deputy in Sarasota, Fla. noticed them towing a strange object behind their SUV. That object was none other than a toy car.
It was being "driven" by their 7-year-old granddaughter. Oh, and the couple was drunk.
Belinda and Paul Berloni reportedly thought it would be a brilliant idea to tow around their granddaughter's toy car. They tied together two dog leashes and attached it to the hitch, reports MSNBC. While Paul drove between 5 and 10 miles per hour, Belinda sat in the back with the hatch open, cheering on the little girl.
If you can't imagine this scenario, here are a few photos:
Not so safe, right? What's worse is that the girl was wearing no protective clothing and Paul Berloni was likely over the legal limit (he refused a blood-alcohol test). He was also driving without a license, which the police report indicates is a result of his three prior DUIs.
Berloni is now facing his fourth DUI charge, and according to official documents, both he and his wife have been charged with child endangerment. Per Florida law, it is illegal to engage in "an intentional act that could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury to a child."
Though arguably fun, towing a child behind a moving vehicle is unsafe. And in Florida, it's also a third degree felony. So, who wants to bet Belinda and Paul Berloni will never be left alone with their granddaughter again?
Related Resources:
- Cops: Girl's Kin Towed Her Toy Car Behind SUV (Smoking Gun)
- Child Abuse (FindLaw)
- TX Man Arrested for Driving With Stepson, 7, on Car Roof (FindLaw's Legally Weird)