news Boy, 9, drives to safety

[rwilli1]

Boy, 9, drives to safety


Sun Oct 25, 4:54 AM

A nine-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero for safely guiding his mom's car into a highway ditch after she passed out yesterday on the QEW in Grimsby.


The Campbellville lad kept his cool after seeing his 43-year-old mother go into medical distress and pass out while eastbound near Maple Ave. at 9:24 a.m., OPP Const. Graham Williamson said.

The car accelerated but the boy, who was apparently sitting next to his mom, reached over and turned off the ignition.

He guided the car until it slowed down enough to lead it onto the right shoulder and gently roll into the ditch.

Williamson said he didn't know if the boy had any practice in driving a car.

A passing motorist witnessed the extraordinary event and stopped to help.

The boy's mother is in Hamilton General Hospital in critical condition.

"When the situation arose, he took the appropriate action at the appropriate time and was able to guide the car onto the shoulder and ditch," Williamson said. "But then again, it went in so softly and gently, there was no damage."

He said the steering wheel wasn't locked because the transmission was still in gear.

The boy wasn't hurt in the incident.

ROB.LAMBERTI@SUNMEDIA.CA