A 27-year-old Memphis man is facing child endangerment and evading arrest charges after he allegedly led a Tennessee state trooper on a high-speed chase down Interstate 240 with his two-year-old son unrestrained in the back seat, a chase that ended when his car slammed into a pickup truck near the Poplar Avenue exit.
Chriszale Karico Samuels was pulled over on I-240 West on Monday after a trooper found that the license plate on his Infiniti was suspended, according to the arrest affidavit cited by Action News 5. When the trooper asked for his license and proof of insurance, Samuels allegedly rolled up his passenger-side window and sped off, weaving in and out of traffic at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour, officials allege.
The pursuit ended when Samuels turned onto the Poplar Avenue exit and crashed into a Ford F-150, officials allege, a collision that deployed the Infiniti's airbags and left the vehicle disabled. When the trooper approached the wreckage, he reportedly discovered a small child crying in the back seat — Samuels' two-year-old son, who was not secured in a car seat.
Trooper's Report Found No Injuries, But Child Sent For Precaution
The trooper's report noted no visible injuries from the crash, but first responders transported the toddler to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital as a medical precaution. Le Bonheur Children's Hospital has an American College of Surgeons-verified Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center and trauma-center designations in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
Officials said they could not reach the toddler's mother at the time of the incident. The boy's aunt, Samuels' sister, reportedly took custody of him after his hospital trip.
Samuels was taken into custody without incident. He now faces a lengthy list of charges: child endangerment, reckless driving, evading arrest, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving with a suspended license, failing to exercise due care, lack of insurance, and violation of the child restraint law.
What Tennessee Law Says About The Charges He Faces
Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-16-603, intentionally evading arrest in a motor vehicle is a Class E felony, according to Justia Law. That charge becomes a Class D felony if the pursuit creates a risk of death or injury to bystanders or officers, with Tennessee law requiring a mandatory minimum confinement period tied to each classification.
Under Tennessee Code § 55-9-602, children aged one through three who weigh more than 20 pounds must use a child safety seat in a forward-facing position, but they may remain rear-facing when permitted by the seat's limits and instructions. A violation may carry a $50 fine, per the Tennessee Traffic Safety Resource Service. Tennessee was the first state in the country to enact a mandatory child passenger restraint law, back in 1977.
The child endangerment charge falls under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-15-401(c), which makes it a Class A misdemeanor for a parent or legal custodian of a child eight years old or younger to knowingly expose the child to neglect that creates imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm, according to FindLaw. The statute defines imminent danger as conditions that could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious bodily injury.
A Dangerous Stretch Of Highway, And A Prior Arrest Record
The crash happened near the Poplar Avenue exit.
Samuels has a documented history with Memphis police. In January 2022, WATN-TV reported that he was arrested at a Fizer Avenue residence after being identified in connection with five Kroger store robberies and a sixth attempt across the Memphis area, where officers recovered a loaded 9mm handgun. Police at the time noted Samuels had outstanding warrants, including a probation violation in Mississippi.
Tennessee troopers have been ramping up highway enforcement across Shelby County. The Tennessee Highway Patrol launched its Bluff City Task Force in Memphis last year, deploying high-visibility patrols along major highway corridors to curb high-speed reckless driving and interstate pursuits, according to the Tennessee Bar Association. State troopers work in coordination with local law enforcement to target dangerous driving throughout the county.
Bond Set, Next Court Date In October
Samuels paid a $60,000 bond on Wednesday.
Samuels is due back in court on October 8. It remains unclear whether prosecutors will seek to enhance the evading arrest charge to the more severe Class D felony given the risk the chase posed to other motorists and to his own child.
