13-Year-Old Allegedly Drives Drunk With Grandma in Car

Authorities say a New Mexico woman learned the hard way that drunk 13-year-old grandsons don't make for the best designated drivers. KRQE reports the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office pulled a vehicle over for swerving around 1am on Aug. 4. When the car stopped, deputies saw a 13-year-old crawl from the front seat into the back seat, according to KOB. A 15-year-old boy who was also in the car allegedly told deputies the 13-year-old was trying to get him to take the blame. Deputies say the 13-year-old smelled like alcohol and admitted to drinking a beer he found on the floor of the car. The New York Daily News reports it was a Coor's Light.

The 13-year-old's 52-year-old grandma, Sanjuana Mercado-Mendez, was also in the car. Authorities say she was drunk and didn't have a valid license, so she had her grandson drive. The 13-year-old allegedly registered a 0.14 on a breathalyzer test. He was charged with DWI. Mercado-Mendez, who previously got in trouble for allegedly enlisting her grandson's help stealing scrap metal, was arrested and charged with child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The 15-year-old was released to his parents. (More drunk driving stories.)