Police say a 10-year-old boy drove a car and crashed into another vehicle Thursday night in East Islip - all because his father gave him permission to get behind the wheel.

Investigators say 41-year-old Craig Griffith, of East Islip, let his son drive the car in a 7-Eleven parking lot. Griffith's 9-year-old nephew was also in the back seat.

According to police, the boy driver crashed the car into another occupied vehicle. Investigators say Griffith then moved into the driver's seat and left the scene. The driver of the other vehicle alerted police in a nearby car to the situation, and the victim's brother followed Griffith in another car.

Suffolk police say Griffith drove to a corner near his home, let the kids out of the car and then took off on foot. He was arrested later Thursday evening at a friend's house in Selden. He is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of reckless endangerment and was also issued a summons for permitting an unlicensed driver.