Dad arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Novi with 2 kids in back seat

Dashcam video shows children taken into police cruiser

NOVI, Mich. – Witnesses called police last week to report a car swerving in and out of traffic along I-96. They feared the driver would cause a crash.

When police stopped the car, they discovered two children -- ages six and 13 -- in the back seat with their father driving under the influence.

Dashcam video showed Novi officers escorting the two children to a police cruiser. They were OK, but police said they were in serious danger while riding with their father.

Novi officers pulled the car over on the afternoon of April 17 on suspicion of drunken driving. Police had no idea the man behind the wheel had his children with him.

The children watched as an officer took their father from the front seat. He was forced to do a sobriety test, and video shows officers talking about the smell of alcohol in the car.

"I smell it," an officer can be heard saying. "The smell is the thing I smelled. Maybe it was cologne, I don't know."

The father can be heard admitting to having had a few drinks before picking up the children.

"How much you say you had to drink today, sir?" an officer asked.

"I had three beers," the man said.

"What size beer?" the officer asked.

"Twelve ounces," the man said.

Police got permission to search his car, where they found an open container.

"Looks like there's an open bottle of whiskey under your driver seat," an officer said.

After failing the field tests, the man was arrested. That's when the police officers got the children out of the car.

"You've got a backpack, bud? OK, you got it good?" an officer asked the child. "We're going to grab your booster seat too, OK?"

You can watch more of the video in Jermont Terry's full story above.


About the Authors:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.