The craziest things seem to happen in Detroit. A recent example of this would be the drunken dad who bragged to a gas station employee that he was making his 9-year-old daughter act as his designated driver.
According to the Detroit News, 39-year-old Shawn Weimer was arrested soon after he talked to the attendant. His daughter had a booster seat underneath her and she was at the wheel of a full-sized red and white van that Weimer uses for work.
In a video from the gas station’s camera you can see Weimer proudly telling the gas station employee how his daughter is his driver for his early morning gas station run because “I’m drunk.”
“I got, I got a designated driver,” he says on the tape. “Nine years old. Nine! Listen, we’re leaving, and she’s driving.”
Naturally the CITGO gas station manager, Albert Abbas, was stunned.
“Nobody could believe it,” said Abbas.
“He woke (the girl) up to drive him to the gas station. He bought her a candy apple as a reward (for driving him).”
The wacky hijinks continued as they left the gas station and police stopped them after receiving calls about an underage driver. The girl told police that her dad had been drinking all night and they promptly arrested Weimar.
She also acted surprised when she was stopped, Brownstown Detective Lt. Robert Grant said.
“What did you stop me for? I’m driving good,” Grant quoted her as telling police.
“The child was under the impression that she’s a good driver, and that it was OK,” said Grant. “She is a sweet girl.”
The police found out that her dad permitted her to drive in the past.
The most amazing thing to come from this story is probably the fact that the girl is actually a pretty good driver.
“Just watched a van pull out of the CITGO gas station. A 7-year-old girl is driving it, and her dad is drunk, and he’s in the passenger seat,” the caller said. The dispatcher asks if the vehicle is staying on the road, and the caller replies, “She’s driving pretty good. I’m telling you … I can’t believe it.”
A 9-year-old who drives and doesn’t get people killed? That’s impressive.
The father was arraigned on Oct. 10 in District Court, and he was back in court on Tuesday. That was an interesting event as well. He actually had friends who stuck up for him in court.
According to the Detroit Free Press: “Several of Weimer’s friends showed up to support him and called him a ‘good father.'”
“Shawn drinking and Shawn sober – two totally, 110% different people,” said Michael Wheatley, a friend of Weimar’s.
It sounds like Shawn’s friends think he might have a drinking problem. Still, they must think pretty highly of him if they’re willing to show their faces in court and stick up for one of the worst parents ever.
Of course, these types of things could only happen in the crazy place that is lovingly refered to as “Tha D.”
