Man accused of DUI crawls through swamp with 2 kids after crash in Lakeland: LPD
Man accused of DUI crawls through swamp with two children after presumed rollover crash in Lakeland: LPD
A man accused of driving under the influence carried two young children into a wooded swampy marsh after a presumed rollover crash on Highway 33 in Lakeland on Wednesday, according to police.
LAKELAND, Fla. - A man accused of driving under the influence carried two young children into a wooded swampy marsh after a presumed rollover crash on Highway 33 in Lakeland on Wednesday morning, according to police.
Lakeland police crash investigation
What we know:
The Lakeland Police Department said they responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash on Highway 33 at the intersection of North Combee Road. According to investigators, the driver went through a road-closure sign and sandbags before stopping against exposed tree roots in a construction area.
When officers arrived at the scene, they said the driver had abandoned the damaged car and ran away. After discovering two car seats inside the vehicle, officers said they launched an urgent search of the surrounding area to check for missing children.
Drone locates suspect in swamp
Timeline:
About 30 minutes into the search, a drone operator spotted 27-year-old Isaac Kinsey in a wooded, swampy area south of the crash site. Kinsey was carrying a 2-year-old child and a 10-month-old infant in total darkness, according to police.
Courtesy: Lakeland Police Department
Officers noted that Kinsey had significant difficulty moving through the marsh and fell multiple times. The falls caused the children to be submerged in standing water. At one point, officers said Kinsey put down the 2-year-old child and continued through the swamp with the infant, falling several more times.
Rescue and criminal charges
What's next:
Officers said when they reached the area, they rescued both children and took Kinsey into custody. Both children were taken to Lakeland Regional Health, where police said they were later treated and released.
Kinsey, who showed signs of impairment, told officers he was intoxicated. Following his arrest, police said he was also treated at Lakeland Regional Health. Authorities said he was driving on a suspended license.
Kinsey was charged with eight misdemeanor offenses and three felony offenses, including two counts of negligent child abuse with great bodily harm.
Missing details in search
What we don't know:
Police have not released the children's relationship to Kinsey. Authorities have also not specified what caused the vehicle to run through the closure signs prior to the crash.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Lakeland Police Department, which detailed the crash, drone search, rescue efforts and criminal charges.