Dad who made 9-year-old drive sentenced

LAFAYETTE, Ind (WLFI) - A man accused of being so drunk he made his 9-year-old daughter take the wheel is going to prison for 18 months.

The judge handed this sentence to 33-year-old Matthew Dewitt. The judge also ordered Dewitt to serve one year on supervised probation once he is released from the Department of Corrections.

Dewitt was arrested on August 1, 2009 when citizens called police to report they saw a child driving a van in the area of Eastwich Drive on the east side of Lafayette.

Lafayette Police Officer Chandler Cahoon stopped the van and found Dewitt's 9-year-old daughter behind the wheel, sobbing. Her father was a passenger in the van.

Dewitt told Officer Cahoon he was teaching his daughter how to drive.

Deputy Prosecutor Kristen McVey said several items were found inside the van.

"They found a cooler with several empty beer cans, an empty whiskey bottle, vodka bottle and a styrofoam cup with beer in it," said McVey. "The daughter told police she nearly hit several cars when driving and was scared."

Police said Dewitt's blood alcohol tested at .20%.

Dewitt pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent, a felony charge. As part of a plea agreement, other charges including criminal recklessness with a vehicle and public intoxication were dismissed. The 2 1/2 year sentence is six months less than the maximum possible penalty.

Dewitt was on probation at the time of his arrest for a January 2009 conviction for leaving the scene of an accident. McVey said when Dewitt was located by police in that case he was intoxicated but claimed all drinking was after the crash. He had no insurance on his van at the time of the leaving the scene.

McVey said Dewitt has prior convictions for OWI in 2001 in White County, OWI with prior conviction in 2004 in Tippecanoe County, and possession of marijuana withheld judgment in 2002.