An Eagan man sat in the front passenger seat of his SUV Monday and controlled the steering wheel as his 8-year-old cousin sat in the driver's seat operating the gas and brakes, according to charges filed Wednesday.

The incident led to a collision with a car in St. Paul that left that driver with pain in her leg and head and a scrape on her shin, according to one count of child endangerment filed against Blake D. Folson, 25, in Ramsey County District Court.

Folson allegedly first told police that his cousin took the keys to his 1992 Jeep Cherokee and attempted to drive off, and that he tried to stop the boy.

"The defendant admitted that his original story to officers was not truthful," the complaint said. "He stated, 'I ended up letting him drive.' He admitted that he had also let his other juvenile cousins drive in the past."

According to the complaint: Police were called to a collision about 6 p.m. at Atlantic Street and Reaney Avenue. A woman told police that she was driving south on Duluth Street and about to turn east on Reaney when a Jeep traveling west on Reaney made a U-turn in front of her. The woman said she turned behind the Jeep, which made another U-turn and crashed into her front left bumper.

Both vehicles sustained "significant" front-end damage.

The woman told police that a child was driving. A witness confirmed the account and said that the Jeep's wheels squealed and smoked as Folson steered it into the U-turn while he sat in the front passenger seat.

The child's adult sister told police that Folson had been drinking and was "burning rubber" in his Jeep before the boy entered the vehicle. She also said that Folson frequently allowed juvenile cousins to sit on his lap while he drove, or allowed them to drive.

A preliminary breath test showed that Folson had a blood alcohol content of 0.039. The legal limit for driving is 0.08.

Police also spoke to the boy, who cried, admitted to driving the car and stated, "It was stupid." The boy said that he was not wearing a seat belt, and that Folson did not instruct him to wear one.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708

Twitter: @ChaoStrib