A Vacaville father is facing a stack of serious allegations after police say his underage, unlicensed son slammed into four parked cars in a lot, then watched as Dad slid behind the wheel and drove off with a blood-alcohol level that tested at nearly four times the legal limit.
Officers say a department transcript shows the father's preliminary breath-alcohol reading came back at 0.31%. He was later found and arrested on suspicion of DUI, hit-and-run, and child endangerment. Neighbors who saw the chaos unfold did not just stand there. They hit record, called it in and helped officers get both drivers off the road.
What the police say
According to the Vacaville Police Department, witnesses reported that an underage driver in a parking lot hit four parked vehicles, and that they captured the incident on video. In the department's summary, officers say the boy had no license, his father then swapped seats with him and drove away, and officers later located and arrested the father.
BAC reading and prior arrests
A department-attached transcript shows the father's preliminary breath-alcohol test registered at 0.31%. For comparison, California's per se legal limit for most adult drivers is 0.08%, according to the California DMV. The post also notes the man has multiple prior DUI arrests that had resulted in felony charges, although he was not identified by name in the update. "Please don't drink and drive," the department wrote in its social media warning.
Legal exposure
In California, driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher is a per se violation under Vehicle Code §23152. Leaving the scene after causing property damage can be charged under Vehicle Code §20002, and exposing a child to danger falls under Penal Code §273a. Repeat DUI arrests combined with hit-and-run allegations can give prosecutors room to seek enhanced penalties or felony charges, depending on the defendant's record and the facts of the case.
Neighbors' role and local context
Vacaville police publicly thanked the residents who documented the scene and called the incident in, saying those tips helped officers track down the vehicle and get the drivers out of circulation before anything worse happened. The department has leaned on social media before to get its DUI message across. In March, a post about wine, pizza and a sleeping driver highlighted another high-profile DUI arrest and a fresh round of online reminders.
The investigation into the parking lot crash is still underway, and formal charges will be up to Solano County prosecutors. Police are asking anyone with video or additional information about the incident to contact the Vacaville Police Department.
