A Minnesota toddler who drove his toy tractor to a county fair Thursday without telling his parents was reunited with his family minutes later, but his driving privileges have been suspended. Photo courtesy of Chisago County Sheriff's Office

July 20 (UPI) -- A Minnesota toddler has been found after he took a joyride on his battery-powered John Deere tractor to the county fair.

The 2.5-year old wanted to go back to the county fair, and drove from his home to the fair without telling his parents, Chisago County Sheriff Sgt. Jason Foster told KARE 11.


Dispatchers got a call Thursday night that the toddler was missing and found him safe minutes later in the middle of the fairground, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post.

The boy's family said their home was about a block and a half from the fairgrounds and he had seen the rides being set up during the previous days.

Foster said the child drove the tractor down the sidewalk, through a back gate and navigated through a heavy crowd there for motocross races before he arrived at the Tilt-a-Whirl, which he wanted to ride.

However, before he got on the ride, State Rep. Brian Johnson, a former Islanti County deputy, saw him and determined the boy was alone. Johnson flagged down a deputy, who helped reunite the boy with his father.

The father suspended his son's driving privileges by pulling out the tractor's battery.