Actress' househelp crashes car in 'road test'

MANILA, Philippines - A teenage househelp’s attempt at past midnight yesterday to drive off with the Mitsubishi Lancer owned by his employer, actress Melissa Mendez, would have been successful had he not crashed the car into a neighbor’s house in Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City.

Police Officer 3 Rolando Lopez said the 17-year-old boy, who had been working for Mendez for only a month, said he did not intend to steal the vehicle but “just took it out for a road test.”

The neighbor goes to the same church as Mendez, and immediately called up the actress.

Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr., commander of the Quezon City Police District-Station 6 said the incident happened at around 1 a.m. yesterday while Mendez was asleep.

Pedrozo said the 17-year-old househelp took the key to the vehicle and drove off without his employer’s permission.

The teenager, who had left all his belongings at Mendez’s house before he went out, does not have a license to drive, police said.