Drunken Teen Encouraged by Father Arrested After Dangerous Plovdiv Car Chase

In Plovdiv, a 16-year-old boy without a driver’s license engaged in a high-speed pursuit with the police, reaching speeds of up to 170 km/h, reports BNT. The youth, reportedly intoxicated, was encouraged to drive by his father, who was also heavily intoxicated, after the two had attended a wedding. Attempting to evade authorities, the teenager drove into oncoming traffic, ran three red lights, and sped through the streets in Plovdiv’s "Iztochen" district, posing a significant danger to others on the road.

The incident, described by the police as "daring, irresponsible, and extremely dangerous," occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Around 2:00 a.m., a police patrol attempted to pull the vehicle over for a routine inspection, sparking the chase. According to Dimitar Pehlivanov, deputy district prosecutor of Plovdiv, "This was exceptionally reckless behavior by a young man, who, while drunk and egged on by his intoxicated father, drove at extreme speeds on Plovdiv’s boulevards, even entering oncoming traffic." He added that the chase, which covered several major boulevards in "Iztochen," ended in a dead end after about 20 minutes.

Once the vehicle stopped, the teenager moved to the back seat, attempting to deny that he had been driving. Law enforcement officials called his escape attempt "a game of Russian roulette" due to the severe risk posed to public safety. Despite the situation, the vehicle, which belongs to the father, has not been seized by authorities. The father, who has a prior record including four criminal decrees and six fines, was arrested and could face a prison sentence of one to six years.

Chief Inspector Kiril Rangelov of the 6th police station emphasized that there was no indication the teenager had previously driven the vehicle. The investigation materials related to the boy are being handled separately.