by Two Nebraska children texted 911 from the backseat of their father’s car to report his drunk driving.
Ethan and Mackenzie Behrens, 12 and 14-years-old, said their father, Jason Behrens, 44, was drunk when they left on a family vacation to Colorado in his car, KUTV reports.
“We told him we don’t want to go anymore because you are drunk and I don’t want to die,” Mackenzie said.
“When a car passed, you could hear how close it was,” Ethan said, adding that his father was swerving dangerously in the road.
They decided that if he swerved one more time, they would text 911.
“He swerved again so I pressed send,” Mackenzie said.
Kearney Police were dispatched to locate Jason’s car. At an attempt to buy time, the children suggested to their father that they stop at Burger King.
The children were in contact with the 911 operator via text and kept the authorities informed of their location.
Jason told his children he was not drunk, but his blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent at the time of his arrest, the New York Daily News reports.
The children are now living with their mother, Amy Brooks, notes KUTV.
They believe they made the right decision in contacting 911.
“He’s our parent, our other parent,” Ethan said. “It was hard, but he just pushed us to the point that we had to,” Ethan said.
The children said it was not the first time their father had driven drunk with them in his vehicle.
