17-year-old confronts classmate who totaled his parked car with her truck, gets suspended for harassing her: 'The principal told me to just let it go'

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Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Nov 12, 2024 8:00 PM EST

Teenagers are rarely excellent drivers. Some kids have been driving with their parents out in the country since they were ten and have years of behind-the-wheel experience before they turn 16, but that's the exception to the rule. There's a reason why insurance premiums are much more expensive for 16-year-old boys compared to 25-year-old men. It's no wonder my parents didn't want to buy me a car when I was a teenager…could you think of a more high-risk financial investment? 

Teen drivers are known to get into little accidents often. I tried to use industrial glue to glue my right door mirror back on my vehicle after I hit it with a tree on a particularly narrow road. Most kids will hit a mailbox or two during their driving years, but most probably won't total a stationary vehicle in a parking lot and drive away. Unfortunately, the teens in this story are not "most kids."

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10427964672
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)
  • 02
    AITA for not "letting it go" when my car got totaled
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 03
    I (17M) am a senior in the southern US. The towns near mine are small, so my town and 2 others combine to make the high school. There are elementary/middle schools in all 3 towns though so I hadnt met many of the people there until 9th grade.
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 04
    Last Thursday when I got to school there were 2 open parking spots next to each other so I parked there. Everything was fine until the end of the day. My friends, Mark and Joe, were coming over to my house but we got to my car and I saw it was wrecked.
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 05
    Both of the left side doors were dented all the way from the back to the front. My side view mirror was completely gone. My left tail light was smashed, and the bumper was hanging off. Neither door on the left could open so I couldn't get in. The car that had parked next to me was gone, but whoever was there did it.
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 06
    Mark and Joe were shocked and I was kneeling in disbelief. I called my dad and he said to stay there and he'd leave work. He called the police but I was still in shock, so he talked to them before they asked me what happened. I told them what I knew, which was not a lot, and they drove me home while my dad talked to them for a little while longer. Me, Mark, and Joe went back to mine and my dad came home a little while later. He said they'd see what they could do, but there are no cameras in the
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 07
    Then, Mark yelled he knows who did it. He had texted his gf and told her about my car and she said she saw a girl, Annie, driving and the right side of her truck was ruined. Joe had texted his brother and he said that he saw Annie park next to me since her truck is bright red.
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 08
    Annie lives in another town but she seemed fine. We werent friends but we knew similar people, so we hung out sometimes. Annie has a massive pickup truck but she doesn't really need one? Her mom's a teacher, her dad's an elementary principal and Annie works at a grocery store.
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 09
    Me, Mark, and Joe drove over to Annie's house to see if her truck was damaged. Her truck was in her driveway, her right headlight was broken, and her right doors were scraped. Annie ran out of her house and I asked if she hit my car. She freaked out and was yellin. Her dad ran up and said that he'd call the cops if we didn't scram so we left.
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 10
    Friday morning, I got called into the principal's (Mr. S) office. Annie, her dad, and her uncle (the police chief) were there. I tried to say I knew Annie hit my car but Mr S told me there was a report I harassed Annie at her house. I tried to explain and ask if I could call my dad, but the principal said that they have a zero tolerance policy for harassment and I was suspended. They told me to leave and the principal told me to just "let it go" and then I can go back.
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 11
    I texted my friends and most of them told me Annie is crazy and theyre with me but some told me that I should chill cause Annie didn't mean to hit my car. So, AITA? Should I have just let it go? Sorry for the long post.
    via u/UniqueProfessor5626
  • 12
    kimpitzer NTA I would at this point politely at first request the investigation be done by your county police or state police. Her uncle being the Chief of Police is a HUGE conflict of interest and it seems like they are completely ignoring the damage to your car that probably totaled it. In addition make sure your insurance knows about ALL of this, including the uncle being Chief of Police. Police like him give the profession a bad name, I have family and friends who are police/law enforcement
    via u/kimpitzer
  • 13
    Ok-Meringue6107 I'd also be reporting the principal to the school board (or whoever is in charge) as OP was called into a meeting bu lied by 3 adults and the person who damaged his car without having a parent there. - OP NTA and DO NOT LET IT GO, do what you can to get your car repaired & those responsible held account.
    via u/Ok-Meringue6107
  • 14
    FoxTofu To add to this: OP, tell your insurance company everything. A 17-year-old kid might not be influential enough to get things handled, but your insurance company has legal experts on hand and will happily go after the responsible party to get their money.
    via u/FoxTofu
  • 15
    Ok_Conversation9750 NTA. Annie committed a hit and run. Report this to the police and your insurance company. Edit: your principal has a zero tolerance against "harassment " but apparently is 100% ok with shielding a felon.
    via u/Ok_Conversation9750
  • 16
    golstaff42 Zero tolerance for harassment but absolutely loves harassing a minor. OP is NTA
    via u/golstaff42
  • 17
    ripleyclone8 Hitting a parked car and running is felony but not a
    via u/ripleyclone8
  • 18
    Ghostofa Phoenix It depends on the location and severity, it can be a felony the more damage is caused.
    via u/GhostofaPhoenix
  • 19
    Confident_Set4216 NTA. Say you'll let it go once they pay to either fix or replace your car. I hope you got pictures of her car that you can compare to yours to help along with it was her car. I also would tell your dad about what happened and them refusing to let a parent be with you while this talk was happening. Also harassing is definitely not ONE approach to ask a simple question, it's multiple approaches over time that increases in aggression, you did not do any of that however
    via u/Confident_Set4216
  • 20
    Ornery-Ticket834 Let it go? Someone destroyed your car and you” let it go"? No. But I would take pictures of both cars and see if you can definitively nail down thru witnesses or otherwise that she is responsible. If that is the case | would make a police report and sue her for damages. A slight fender bender maybe can be let go. This was an assault. Also if she gets away with it she may end up doing it again to someone else. You are the AH if you let it go.
    via u/Ornery-Ticket834
  • 21
    Lacking Tact19 This is definite "small town politics" vibes. If the girl is related to the sheriff then he will likely make OP and their family's lives very difficult if they do pursue legal action.
    via u/LackingTact19
  • 22
    Immediate-Stop-5587 NTA consider talking to your dad about reaching out to your local news station.
    via u/Immediate-Stop-5587
  • 23
    r_z_n NTA. I would actually escalate this and press charges. I have zero tolerance for this type of bulls. Should be pretty easy to prove it was her car, was there paint left on either your car or hers that would provide evidence?
    via u/r_z_n

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