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Sarasota County Sheriff's Office | WFLA
The deputy who stopped the procession said the toy car was attached to the SUV with two dog leashes.
Two drunken grandparents were arrested for using their vehicle to pull their 7-year-old granddaughter in a toy car, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said.
Belinda and Paul Berloni were arrested on Sunday after a deputy in a marked patrol car saw the SUV pulling a "small plastic hot wheels car" along an access road, authorities said. The vehicle was going about five to 10 miles per hour, the probable cause affidavit said.
The girl was wearing a bathing suit with no protective gear, authorities said. The toy car was attached to the SUV with two dog leashes tied to the trailer hitch, the affidavit said.
Read the original report at NBCMiami.com
Paul Berloni, 49, smelled of alcohol and his eyes were bloodshot and watery, the affidavit said. When asked for his driver's license, he said it had been revoked for 10 years for a DUI. He also told authorities he had two or three drinks, authorities said. He later said it was more but wasn't specific, the affidavit said.
Sarasota County Sheriff's Office | WFLA
Belinda and Paul Berloni
Belinda Berloni, 47, was in the cargo area with the rear hatch open cheering the little girl on, the affidavit said. She was also intoxicated and said she had a few drinks, authorities said.
She "also stated that she understood that it was dangerous to drag a child behind the vehicle but stated they were just having fun and had been doing it all day," the affidavit said.
Belinda Berloni's son, who is the girl's father, arrived and was upset with his mother. He also said that he believed they had a drinking problem that may have affected their decision making, the affidavit said.
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"The defendant and co-defendant failed to provide adequate supervision for the child and put the child in a situation that could have easily resulted in great bodily harm, permanent disfigurement and even death," the affidavit said.
Sarasota County Sheriff's Office | WFLA
The deputy who stopped the grandparents said the grandmother was in the back of the SUV calling encouragement to the 7-year-old girl.
Paul Berloni refused to take a field sobriety test and was being held on $7,500 bond on Monday, a jail official said. He faces charges that include a fourth DUI offense, driving with a suspended license and cruelty toward a child. Belinda Berloni was released from jail Monday on supervised release and faces a child cruelty charge.
It wasn't immediately known if they had attorneys.
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SUV, SUV. Would it have been any less dangerous if the vehicle was a VW Bug ?
Whoops, I forgot, it's about demonizing the evil SUV. Sorry. Lost my head there for a moment.
I assumed it was a brand until I looked it up. Who has one of those? If you need something bigger, get a pickup for goodness sake. Let me guess, you also own a 'television' and support hydroelectric power. Those were the days.
If a Floridian gets a divorce from his wife, is she still his sister?
Why did it not surprise me in the slightest to find out this happened in...wait for it...Florida?
the father should be happy that the little girl was not hurt after all for thankfully the grandparents were only going five miles per hour scary to think what would have happen if they started the car and decided to floor it. with the kiddie car in the back. espically since the little girl had not protection. guess the grandparents will not be babysitting for quiet a time.
child cruelty charge....cut me a phunking break! Its called having fun tight wades! Kid was having a fun day until
traumatized by the big bad law dweeps trying to protect anyone from having fun in this tight waded country its becoming!
"Poorly written article" the affadavit said.
Thankfully the child was not hurt. It just proves you can' fix stupid.
they were going 5 mph on a service road !most of the power wheels (battery operated) that 7 year olds have these days are faster than that.....you can throw a kid on a tube in the water and tow it with a boat,thats perfectly legal.if only they werent drunks,they would be fun.
We...We...Wheeeeeee!
We...We...Wheeeeeee!
being drunk is the thing its not like they were out in the country they were in town they could of been hit by another car but at least they were only going 5-10 mph
BFD, people do this stuff all the time, and have always done so. What on earth has happened to people over the past 10-20 years that suddenly make things like this an issue? I agree gramps shouldn't be drinking while doing it, but that doesn't mean it was dangerous. I've been pulled many times and I've pulled people many times. Cars, motorcycles, you name it and kids love it! What's the story now, do you have to have a special license while on a special course with medivac standing by while the kid is in an airbag and roll cage equipped toy while wearing full safety gear? What happened to being a kid and having fun with what you have? Jeeze, if people knew all the things I did as a kid they'd probably faint. And if I had had been deprived of those things as a kid I'd be a sheltered baby and pretty depressed. Maybe they'll ban water skiing next, I mean why not, it's certainly more dangerous. Or maybe that's ok because wealthy people water ski. How about being towed on a skate board by the family dog, will a dad go to jail for that? What's wrong with you people?
I like drinking...
Amazing how many here simply say the little girl was having a blast, the cops were party poopers. Gee, guess there was no chance of the little girl rolling under the SUV when it stopped? Guess other drivers would expect to have a child 10 feet behind the SUV if they turned past it? I can only imagine some of the ways this could go wrong. But hey, for all those that think this was great fun and not dangerous, get in a little kiddy car and I'll tow you through traffic with my car. And in the end I'll be surprised if you think it was fun when I'm done with you, if you live, morons.
Yep, this is stupid. But, I did many more stupid things when I was a kid.
5-10 mph. Hardly national news. Again, bad judgement by grandpa with a serious issue, but can't kids just be kids? If she was being towed by her brother on a bike, the cop might not even have stopped.
Now they've turned the whole thing into a huge embarassment. A shame all around. I hope my kid isn't out playing in the dangerous dirt while I'm obsessing over this important piece of "news".
This is all blown out of proportion. The grandparents were probably pickled every waking minute of their lives and perfectly able to function that way, they are so used to it.
C'mon.Hands up if like me,the title told you all you need to know.We gotta claim them-DUMB WHITE PEOPLE
It was unforgivable enough to be 40-odd years old and callously, stupidly endanger your Grand child's life, but to compound the irresponsibility by driving on a suspended licence, and adding to a DUI tally at the same time.
Apparently they summised that one Grand parent sitting intoxicated in the rear of their moving vehicle, door open was safe, and doubly stupid to figure towing a child in her toy car behind the same vehicle minus any protective gear was equally; Safe!
Only by God's good mercy that darling innocent child is okay. Those reckless decisions could have enabled a tragic set of fatal circumstances. How was he able to drive safely, focused and aware watching the road ahead, and watching his Grand daughter at the same time? Good Lord!
I believe there has been a trend of reckless, callous, unsafe actions by these Grand parents, and being drunk, this time, only worsened the potential for tragedy.
Let us determine to embrace the responsibility of how we approach driving and road safety in general. Our thought process becomes subject to habit, which throws caution out the window similiarly to how some motorists litter the roadway with used cigarette butts sending embers flying into oncoming vehicles, causing distraction and a road hazard. How can we remain immune to the vehicular carnage and fatal accident reports flooding news media daily. It can happen to you! Determine to change negative mindsets and adopt safer driving principles as a lifestyle choice. Our: lives, children, family, friends, neighbors are worth this simple, positive, life saving effort. DUI-Is Not Good. Takes away innocent lives.
duiisnotgood @FBook
Had to click and read the story and see WHICH southern red neck state these people were from. My first guess was Texas, but Florida fits the bill. ROFLMAO! Hee haw!
even a drunk should know better.
Some folk are just dumb as a rock. Never let these to watch any one kids ever again unattended.
And the winners of the Grandparents of the Year Award are..............................
When I was 7 I remember doing a lot more dangerous stunts, skateboarding down hills at 20 mph, constantly getting stitches, etc. Unless the grandparents actually hurt the girl, which they clearly did not, it's none of the cop's business and this is not where my taxpayer money should be going!
Are u kidding here Mom, Dad can u watch my 7 yr old for a case of bud light ? parents need to be arrested also..glad the child wasn't seriously injured..
A drunken neanderthal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Neanderthaler_Fund.png
When I was seven I remember skateboarding down hills at 20 mph, falling off, getting stitches, all sorts of stuff... that's part of growing up. I don't support this kind of use of my hard-earned taxpayer money.
Well when you're 7 that is kind of expected. One would hope by the time your these two geniuses age you'd have enough sense to realize that towing your grandkid behind the car while drunk is a bad idea.