Colorado mom accused of letting 9-year-old girl drive

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- A Grand Junction woman was cited after witnesses reported seeing her 9-year-old daughter driving her across town at least twice last week with the mother and her 10-month-old child as passengers.

Police say Lori Ann Rogers, 36, faces multiple counts of allowing a minor to drive, child abuse, reckless endangerment and operating an uninsured vehicle.

The story was first reported by The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

Police said they began searching for the car after they received reports on Saturday of a driver tailgating, slamming on the brakes, cutting off other motorists, and weaving in traffic.

Police spokeswoman Kate Porras said an officer found the car stopped after going through a McDonalds drive-thru.

Porras said the woman was in the driver's seat at the time, but a McDonalds employee told police the woman and child changed seats.

The Mesa County District Attorney's Office said it had no attorney listed for Rogers.

Witnesses told officers they saw the girl driving earlier.

Porras says the investigation did not determine why the child was driving.

Rogers was also cited on suspicion of allowing the same girl to drive a day prior.

Porras said a witness reported to police Friday that a young girl was driving at a grocery store. The witness was told that the girl was learning to drive, Porras said.