"Jane" JACKSON - 5 yo - Jacksonville FL

Jacksonville girl, 5, takes her father's wheel in DUI case


Youngster guides car off roadway after her father passes out on pills, police say.


Posted: May 4, 2011

After her father passed out in the driver's seat, a 5-year-old Jacksonville girl grabbed the wheel and tried to get off the road before careening across a highway.

The 2010 Camaro ran over a curb into a parking lot at Fort Caroline Road and University Boulevard North, but not before another driver dodged it as it cut across her traffic lane. No one was seriously injured.

"An angel was watching me and an angel was watching the little girl," said Stephanie Bailey, 19, who had to drive around the Camaro as it crossed the traffic lanes Monday.

The girl's nose and lower lip were bleeding when police arrived.

"If I hadn't been paying attention, I would have hit the side with the girl," Bailey said Tuesday.

After the slowly moving car jumped the curb, it plowed over landscape plants and crashed over a parking sign before coming to a halt.

Bailey said the girl and her father were locked inside the car. She coaxed the youngster to open the door. The girl told Bailey she was trying to steer off the road.

"She didn't look that strong to be able to steer a car like that," Bailey said.

When police arrived following the 6:50 p.m. accident, Mark Endicot Jackson Jr., 40, was unresponsive and staring at the ceiling, according to a Sheriff's Office report. He later told police he had taken Xanax and oxycodone earlier in the day, according to the report.

A family member came to take custody of the girl.

In addition to driving under the influence while accompanied by a minor, Jackson was charged with driving under the influence and causing damage, careless driving, and driving without he or his daughter wearing a seat belt.

Jackson was being held in lieu of $3,000 bail Tuesday night.