A 30-year-old Knoxville man is facing a stack of charges, including child abuse, neglect or endangerment, after police say he fled on foot from a crash scene where three children had been riding in his car. Michael Nathaniel Mitchell was later found and arrested following the two-vehicle wreck near the intersection of Valley View Drive and Morgan Springs Way.
According to WVLT, the crash happened a little after 9 p.m. last Friday. The other driver involved told police that Mitchell struck him in the head and arm before running off, leaving the scene on foot shortly after the collision.
Court documents cited in the station's report say Mitchell told officers he had consumed a bottle of liquor before getting behind the wheel with three children in the car. Court records list him for DUI, assault, driving with a suspended license, and child abuse, neglect or endangerment charges, the outlet reported.
What Happens Next in Court
Per the same account, Mitchell's arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 20. The evidence available does not establish how the case will ultimately be resolved, and no plea or hearing outcome has been reported.
The crash adds to a string of recent East Tennessee cases involving children in vehicles with allegedly impaired drivers. In late September, WVLT reported that 23-year-old Aleyah Dooley was charged with vehicular assault, DUI, driving with a suspended license and two counts of child endangerment after crashing on an interstate with four children in her car. Dooley later told officers she had two shots of tequila before driving, according to the warrant cited in that report.
A Separate Fiery Crash Still Under Investigation
In another unrelated case, WATE reported on a single-vehicle crash and fire on Buffat Mill Road near Spring Hill Road that left two adults and a toddler injured. Knoxville Police were still searching for the male driver, who also fled the scene on foot, according to that outlet.
The details of Mitchell's case beyond what has been attributed to court documents and police reports remain unconfirmed, and the condition of the three children who were in his vehicle has not been disclosed.
