A mother of two was allegedly intoxicated when police say she drove her vehicle off a cliff in Tennessee with her children inside.
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How Are the Children Doing?
As the New York Post reports, Chase Ryan Klinedinst allegedly sped her SUV down a dirt road toward Coffey's Cliff on Sep. 7. It dove 20 to 25 feet off the edge of the popular railroad overlook in Chattanooga. It eventually landed upside down near the train tracks below.
Thankfully, both of the children were buckled into their safety seats. They survived the crash. However, one child suffered from a fractured forearm and bruised lungs. They were admitted to a local hospital. The other child was examined and released.
When police arrived on the scene, Klinedinst was confrontational with first responders. The mother also had slurred speech and reportedly smelled strongly of alcohol. Investigators allege an empty wine bottle and an unopened, chilled bottle were inside the SUV.
What's Next for the Mother of Two?
Klinedinst was taken to a local hospital, where, according to court documents, she was placed on psychiatric hold. The mother of two is charged with driving under the influence, child neglect, child abuse and neglect, and vehicular assault.
Medical staff collected blood samples during treatment. They will be submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime lab for analysis.
This news follows a report of the arrest of a youth pastor after a deadly car crash.
In January, Joel Leiniz was clocked at 104 miles per hour in a 40-mile-per-hour zone. He slammed his 2017 Audi Q7 into a concrete pole, causing it to go up in flames. His three daughters were in the car.
The accident claimed the life of Leiniz's 8-year-old daughter. He and his other two daughters were also hospitalized with injuries.
A blood test taken at the hospital showed that Leiniz had a 0.083 blood-alcohol concentration level, above Florida's 0.08 legal limit. Court documents suggested that the levels were likely higher at the time of the crash.
During his court appearance in July, the pastor's attorney revealed that he is a grieving father and widow. His wife passed away from cancer less than a year before the deadly crash.
