HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The mother of a 12-year-old boy with autism said the "creepy clown" who scared drivers on Laburnum Avenue in Henrico County was her son -- and he is sweet, not creepy.

Holly Brown said her son Angus is a huge Stephen King fan and recently got the Pennywise clown costume for Halloween.

Brown, who had been out of town, said her son dressed up in the clown costume to surprise her when she got home from her trip.

Angus' grandmother was driving the child to his mother's eastern Henrico home Monday when Angus rolled down the window and waved at other drivers, Brown said.

Given recent headlines about "creepy clown" sightings up and down the East Coast, Angus' gesture freaked out at least one driver and her daughter. They took a photo of Angus and shared it on social media and with CBS 6 News.

"There was no malicious intent. He's just a kid excited about his new costume," Brown said about her son. "He was never a threat, and is in fact a very sweet child with autism and a new found love of Stephen King stories, hence the 'It' costume."

Since the photo of her son spread online and in the news, Brown said they have had a talk about the costume.

"We all agree that he must save his Halloween costume to be worn at Halloween functions only due to the current scary-clown-sighting situation," she said. "This clown was simply a little boy in a new toy."

In Virginia, it is against the law for anyone over the age of 16 to wear a clown mask, any other mask or hoodie over the face to conceal their identity.