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Boy, 8, drives car into neighbor’s house, authorities say

Damage estimated at $80,000; youth reportedly unhurt

An 8-year-old boy drove a BMW in reverse from his family's Mascot Street driveway into the front porch of a home accross the street.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
Police surveyed the damage to the car after it was removed from the house by a tow truck.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff/Globe Staff

An 8-year-old boy drove a luxury car into the front porch of a Dorchester house Wednesday morning, causing an estimated $80,000 in damage, authorities said.

The boy backed a white BMW 328i from his family’s driveway across the street, between two parked cars, and then slammed into the front porch of a house on Mascot Street about 8:22 a.m.

“The homeowner said he was inside his home playing online poker when he heard a loud crash,’’ said Officer James Kenneally, a Boston police spokesman. “When he went to investigate the noise, he saw a white car backed into his porch and a young boy running away from the scene.’’ No injuries were reported.

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The boy’s mother told police her son was responsible for the crash and said that “her son started the car, which was in her driveway, placed it into reverse, and ended up backing it down the driveway, across the street, and into a neighbor’s porch,’’ police said in a statement.

The car traveled 60 to 70 feet, Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald estimated.

The car smashed into the porch and then into the stone foundation of the house. Before the car was towed away, firefighters had to install columns on the porch to stabilize it - and in the basement to stabilize the house. A building inspector was called to the scene, MacDonald said.

He said the homeowner will have to deal with his insurance company and get a contractor to put in reinforced columns and rebuild the foundation.

The boy was already back home when police, firefighters, and emergency medical workers arrived.

MacDonald said the boy was “extremely lucky’’ not to have been seriously injured. The boy was taken to Boston Medical Center for a precautionary evaluation, Kenneally said.

The Department of Children and Families will conduct a follow-up investigation into the crash, Kenneally said.

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“We did receive report, and the department is currently investigating the incident,’’ department spokeswoman Cayenne Isaksen said.


Martin Finucane can be reached at mfinucane@globe.com. Colin Young can be reached at colin.young@globe.com.