Dad Charged After 13-Year-Old Daughter Crashes Car into Law Office: ‘It Looked Like an Explosion’

A shocking scene unfolded in Mesa, Arizona, after police say 40-year-old Joey Kristopher Jansen allowed his 13-year-old daughter to drive his sedan — straight into a law firm’s conference room.

According to Mesa police, Jansen was sitting in the passenger seat when the car barreled through the front of My Arizona Lawyers, smashing through walls and furniture before coming to a stop. Neither he nor his daughter was injured, but prosecutors say that’s beside the point.

“He’s been charged with endangerment and criminal damage,” police confirmed to local media. “This could have ended tragically.”

Witnesses inside the building described the impact as devastating.

“It looked like an explosion,” said attorney Alison Briggs, a partner at the firm. “The car came right through our lobby and into the main conference room. You could see tire tracks on the carpet and glass everywhere.”

Briggs told FOX 10 that the crash happened in broad daylight, leaving the firm’s staff shaken. “Thank God our receptionist wasn’t in there. Thank God no clients were meeting at the time,” she said.

Photos from the scene show debris scattered across the office floor — splintered desks, torn ceiling panels, and fragments of glass strewn throughout the workspace.

The bizarre crash has sparked anger and disbelief online, with many questioning how a parent could risk his child’s safety — and the safety of others — in such a reckless stunt.

Briggs, who handles family law cases, didn’t mince words. “My first thought was: I hope Mom has a good lawyer,” she said. “That kind of irresponsibility breaks my heart. It’s not just dangerous — it’s a failure to protect your own kid.”

Police say they are still investigating how long the teen had been driving before the crash. While Arizona law prohibits anyone under 15½ from obtaining even a learner’s permit, Jansen allegedly treated it as a “harmless lesson.”

Local prosecutors aren’t seeing it that way. Jansen could face thousands in fines and up to a year in jail if convicted.

Mesa authorities reminded the public that even short “practice drives” with unlicensed minors can carry severe penalties. “This isn’t a joke,” one officer told ABC15. “It’s lucky no one was killed.”

The law office, now under repair, has temporarily moved its operations to another location. In a Facebook post, My Arizona Lawyers thanked first responders and assured clients that no one was hurt.

“We’re shaken but grateful,” the post read. “Material things can be replaced — people can’t.”

Source: FOX 10 Phoenix | ABC 15 Arizona | Mesa Police Department