Lakisha Hogue pleaded not guilty in a Chester County courtroom Wednesday to allowing her six-year-old daughter to drive her Dodge Durango SUV.
Authorities spotted the child piloting the vehicle around 4 p.m. on South 4th and Walnut Streets in Coatesville, Pa. earlier this month. The girl's mother sat in the passenger seat, Officer Robert Keetch told the court.
The mother of four laughed loudly while listening to the officer's testimony in court, according to witnesses.
“It’s disgraceful. Even to this day if she was laughing,” said Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Callahan. “Obviously, she does not recognize the seriousness of this offense, and her conduct.”
So what was Hogue's reason for allegedly allowing her daughter to drive?
Hogue reportedly told investigators that she was teaching her daughter to drive. But those lessons must have left her exhausted because she slept for an hour after being pulled over and brought to the Coatesville Police station, Keetch said.
Hogue’s bloodshot eyes as well as her daughter's claim that she had smoked "that stinky stuff" led investigators to believe that she was under the influence. DUI and toxicology tests were not done however, since Hogue was not driving.
Some of the worry was that the alleged incident happened in the middle of the day.
“Lots of vehicles in the area, pedestrians. There was a soccer game down the street,” said Callahan. “I think that this could have been much worse than it was.”
Hogue is charged with reckless endangerment, corruption of a minor and endangering the welfare of children. Her bond remained at $15,000 despite her attorney’s attempt to have it lowered.
