ksdaddy Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 My daughter's Volvo was at the mechanic's yesterday. I let her use my little '88 S-10 Blazer. It was my father's (he passed in '99) and I use it as a commuter/knockabout. Once her Volvo was ready, she switched vehicles and left my Blazer there. The keys were in it. This is Caribou, Maine. We can leave keys. Sometimes. Not this time. Yes it was stupid to leave the keys in it. I know. But it's a lifestyle here. Small town 'doors unlocked' America. I meant to go pick it up last night when my other daughter got home from work at 10. At 9:00 the phone rang and it was the Sheriff's office asking if I had given permission for someone to use my Blazer. I said no. They then told me where it was (a neighboring town) and the investigating officer would call soon. Once we got the call, we drove there to pick it up. No visible damage....but wait. Apparently this 25 year old girl was quite drunk and decided to 'borrow' the Blazer and ride to her parents house. I'm pretty sure she put it in first gear and held it to the floorboards the entire way because now the engine has a severe knock. I mean like a rod bearing or main bearing. The driver's seat MAY be broken too (it was dark). I left it at her parent's house and I'll have to get a wrecker to go get it I guess. I don't know the girl or her parents. They were very apologetic and I believe them. They aren't well off and likely can't bail her out of trouble. She was arrested for the theft. I wasn't asked if I wanted to press charges, it was just done. I don't know how that process works. I'm sure she will be ordered to pay restitution but you can't get blood out of a turnip. I could walk away but I won't. I like that little Blazer. I'm shopping for an engine right now. I'm pretty upset at the loss but at the same time I feel bad for the girl. It was stupid what she did, and I'm thankful nobody got hurt or killed and the only loss was a 26 year old car, but at the same time I'm out maybe $1200-1300 to have a used engine dropped in. Mixed feelings for sure. I have no problem forgiving other than my wallet is going to take a hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Maybe there's a way to make the offer of a "restitution" deal with the criminal charges dropped after payment and a reasonable length of "probation" (it seems around here they like to use two years for that). The Prosecuting Attorney of your jurisdiction would be the one to talk to. They are usually receptive to any arrangement that is satisfactory to the "victim", and helps clear court dockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 I'll look into that. It's early in the game but maybe now is the time to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 woa, what a train wreck.. she could have "crossed lines" that limits what you can do. DUI is enough to get her arrested in the first place, but stealing a car? isn't that considered Grand Theft (any where?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 I don't know. There's also "theft by unauthorized taking" whatever that means. I'll stop at the DA's office this morning and if nothing else at least make it known that IF I have a voice in this matter I would like my thoughts to be considered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 The person who left a vehicle unlocked, let alone including keys, would be prosecuted here for complicity on whatever happened later. Moreover, unauthorized "borrowing" the vehicle is not defined as theft here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 hmm I don't know if there's any legal matters for leaving the keys in the States but I think the issue with Insurance claims may have some complications (if there were any to be filed) re: leaving the keys in the car. Spare keys are always a handy idea!!! said Mr. Obvious it sucks when you come to trust a standard of living and it's ripped to pieces by an irresponsible fool (eg: drunk girl who took the car) oh well... life goes on KS could be worse, nobody got hurt, or wound up dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brc Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Keys left in the vehicle or not, is no reason to justify some one stealing a car/truck. Thank God no one was hurt or killed due to her drunken state. Its true you cant get blood out of a turnip, but the only way she is going to learn from this is if she pays for the damage herself, plus the DA could force her at least to do some community service, and also attend a driving course where the focus is on drunk driving. I have ZERO empathy for any one who drives under the influence of any thing, booze or drugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 I did some snooping and suffice to say this girl has a long rap sheet. All I had for coverage is liability so it will be 100% out of pocket. I could just junk it but it was my fathers and if I can throw a grand or so at it and make it whole again, I will. It's a cool little wannabe Jeep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 I did some snooping and suffice to say this girl has a long rap sheet. I guess this isn't surprising given the situation you're now facing. probably just at well to let the process ride. she dug the hole, (one of many it would seem). May be it's best to let her figure out how deep she is in by herself. May help her in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 I spoke to someone who knows her and he said she's "not a bad person" but has a long history of drug and alcohol abuse and allegedly was scheduled to enter into a local 30 day rehab. She also 'talks to people who aren't there'. On a personal level I forgive her, for whatever that's worth. It's only a machine. My wallet will bounce back. I hope she gets herself together. Not sure how much I want to get involved in the judicial process. If I knew this was an isolated, impulse, or capricious incident it would be more clear cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 KSD......to NOT prosecute = enabling, and next time she may well take a life. she NEEDS an eye opener. even axe murderers etc. are "Great People" to those that want to believe.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Whee!! Big night, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 I did some snooping and suffice to say this girl has a long rap sheet. All I had for coverage is liability so it will be 100% out of pocket. I could just junk it but it was my fathers and if I can throw a grand or so at it and make it whole again, I will. It's a cool little wannabe Jeep. It's much more than "a cool little wannabe Jeep", it's a piece of your Dad's history and that my friend, as you already know - makes it priceless. If you would PM me your paypal address, I would be happy to contribute $100 to the cause. I'm sorry you had to deal with this and I hope the girl gets the full weight of the justice system. She's lucky she didn't kill someone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brc Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Peraonally, I would not cut her any slack what so ever. As it has been said by a few already, just by luck she did not hurt or kill some one. If she does not learn from this mistake, the next time it could be fatal. Sorry, but I get so Pissed off when I hear about people driving under the influence of any substance. Even nice good people are deadly when they are driving drunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 With the greatest respect...... Don't (I'm sure you won't anymore) leave the keys in it. Wherever you are. Personal experience; I live on a small estate in suburban middle-class England, we all know each other and look out for each other - I make sure my neighbours know when I'm away and vice versa. Last year I kept coming home from work and finding my front porch door had been opened and not closed properly. Couldn't have been the postman as no mail had been left, wasn't the neighbours either side 'cos I asked. After a few weeks I started to wonder what was happening to my mail as I wasn't getting any. To cut a long story short, an old woman 5 doors down was stealing it; I started locking the door then actually watched her trying it one day. So I made sure all the neighbours knew and she has moved away now because of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edlo Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 My daughter's Volvo was at the mechanic's yesterday. I let her use my little '88 S-10 Blazer. It was my father's (he passed in '99) and I use it as a commuter/knockabout. Once her Volvo was ready, she switched vehicles and left my Blazer there. The keys were in it. This is Caribou, Maine. We can leave keys. Sometimes. Not this time. Yes it was stupid to leave the keys in it. I know. But it's a lifestyle here. Small town 'doors unlocked' America. I meant to go pick it up last night when my other daughter got home from work at 10. At 9:00 the phone rang and it was the Sheriff's office asking if I had given permission for someone to use my Blazer. I said no. They then told me where it was (a neighboring town) and the investigating officer would call soon. Once we got the call, we drove there to pick it up. No visible damage....but wait. Apparently this 25 year old girl was quite drunk and decided to 'borrow' the Blazer and ride to her parents house. I'm pretty sure she put it in first gear and held it to the floorboards the entire way because now the engine has a severe knock. I mean like a rod bearing or main bearing. The driver's seat MAY be broken too (it was dark). I left it at her parent's house and I'll have to get a wrecker to go get it I guess. I don't know the girl or her parents. They were very apologetic and I believe them. They aren't well off and likely can't bail her out of trouble. She was arrested for the theft. I wasn't asked if I wanted to press charges, it was just done. I don't know how that process works. I'm sure she will be ordered to pay restitution but you can't get blood out of a turnip. I could walk away but I won't. I like that little Blazer. I'm shopping for an engine right now. I'm pretty upset at the loss but at the same time I feel bad for the girl. It was stupid what she did, and I'm thankful nobody got hurt or killed and the only loss was a 26 year old car, but at the same time I'm out maybe $1200-1300 to have a used engine dropped in. Mixed feelings for sure. I have no problem forgiving other than my wallet is going to take a hit. I also in Maine, Bangor to be exact. But I never leave keys in any of my vehicles. I hope all works out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 KSD, we are in an era of changing values. Some immediately look to "blame the victim". Defense attorneys will claim their client (aka the 'criminal') made an unfortunate choice and it was a "crime of opportunity"! The perp "is not a bad person", and some of the responsibility lies with the victim. So, the lines are getting blurred. Eventually, the liberal application of the concept of guilt will open the door for the lawyer of someone this drunk girl could have hit to sue whoever let the keys in the car. Anyway, I've had engines replaced and it was like a makeover. Be sure to get a written guarantee on the work. G'Luck. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Is she hot? rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 You say she is 25?? Then she knows right from wrong. Already has a rap sheet?? Press charges...prosecute her to fullest extent of the law. Do NOT let her off...thats just giving her a chance to screw up again and again ...and trust me...she will. You may not get a cent from her, but she won't have her freedom or a chance to make others miserable again for a long time. JMHOI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 See if you can have her drivers license taken away until she pays you back in full for all the expenses... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Is she hot? rct Sad deal there. I looked at her facebook page and in looking at the posted photos, I saw a girl who went from a bright eyed pretty young girl to someone you'd see at WalMart wearing yellow sweat pants with a baby on her hip. She gained a lot of weight, her complexion went bad, and her eyes are dull. There's pictures of a little boy there too. I heard he was taken away from her by the state department of health/human services. I guess it's easy for me to be compassionate because of the relatively low amount of loss. If someone broke in and stole some guitars or vandalized the house, or harmed a member of my family, I would be the one in jail by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Good news! I scored an engine and it'll be palletized and on its way tomorrow. I like that little vehicle. Dad bought it over the phone in 1990. He told the dealer what he wanted and the dealer found him one at the auction. Dad had an '85 Chevy 4x4 with a 454 in it that he was trading in. The dealer called him and told him he had a little blue Blazer for him and Dad said he'd take it. by the time he drove out to the dealers, the dealer had Dad's 454 all sold! Dad took sick in '93 and passed in '99. The Blazer remained registered and insured but was only used occasionally. My mother handed it over to me in 2008 and I think it still only had 66,000 miles on it. I drove it a couple years and one day a head gasket blew. I mean big time. I limped home with it. I shouldn't have done that; I should have gotten a wrecker. Basically toasted the engine. I bought one from a junkyard in Massachussetts I think. That was 2010. So here we go again. I'll get a few more years out of it, mark my words. It's a cool little vehicle. For whatever reason, I feel safe in it. Safe, secure, down to Earth, comfortable... It's not so pleasant commuting the 55 miles with it because it barely has enough power to pull itself over the hills but I can live with that. The 2.8 should NEVER have had an automatic transmission with overdrive but that's water under the bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 What is that laying on the pavement in front of your SUV? Is that a rabbit? It looks like a rabbit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Probably one of my golden retriever Maggie's stuffed animals. They have a life span of about an hour here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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