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Police: Boy, 11, Told To Get In Car, Follow Mom's Boyfriend On Freeways

ADELANTO (AP) — Authorities say an 11-year-old's California freeway drive has landed his mom's boyfriend in jail.

San Bernardino County sheriff's investigators say 51-year-old Terry Michael Varner told the boy to get in the car and follow him through the Mojave Desert on Interstate 15 and another highway.

Deputy Michelle Morgan got a call Sunday afternoon about a reckless child driver and she stopped the car. The Victorville Daily Press reports that another vehicle in front of the child driver also pulled over, but it quickly drove off before the deputy contacted the driver.

Authorities say they later discovered Varner was behind the wheel of that vehicle and had asked the boy to drive the car.

Prosecutors charged Varner with willful cruelty to a child resulting in possible injury or death. He's in jail with bail set at $100,000. It was unknown if he had an attorney.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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