Reckless driver who led Texas police on high-speed chase turns out to be 10-year-old boy

Texas police were startled after they chased a pickup truck at speeds up to 85 mph – only to find out that a 10-year-old boy was behind the wheel.

Vidor police said an officer saw the pickup run a red light after authorities received several calls Wednesday morning about a recklessly driven vehicle.

“Officers then saw it was a 10-year-old boy and I could hear the stress in my officers’ voices,” Vidor police chief Rod Carroll told CBS DFW.

As the police car's emergency lights were activated, the pickup truck accelerated, reaching speeds of up to 85 mph before going off the road.

The boy, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, was taken to a Houston hospital in serious condition, The Associated Press reported.

Police say following the accident, a woman called the Orange County sheriff's office to tell them her son took her vehicle after becoming upset over a disciplinary issue.

“It appears the child had an argument with his mother. He became angry. She may have left the truck for a second and he jumped in the driver’s seat and took off,” Carroll told CBS DFW.

He said he doesn’t believe charges will be filed against the boy, but that “we need to talk to children to let them know the dangers of driving a vehicle.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.