A Florida man accused of driving under the influence was arrested after police found him carrying a two-year-old child and a 10-month-old baby through a swamp following a suspected rollover crash in Lakeland.
Isaac Kinsey, 27, is alleged to have driven through a road-closure sign and sandbags on Highway 33, near North Combee Road, before the vehicle came to rest against exposed tree roots in a construction area.
When Lakeland Police Department officers arrived, the damaged car had been abandoned. Two child seats inside the vehicle prompted an urgent search of the surrounding area.
Drone spots suspect in marsh
About 30 minutes later, a police drone located Kinsey in a wooded marsh south of the crash site. Officers said he was carrying both children in darkness and was struggling to make his way through the water and dense terrain.
According to police, Kinsey fell several times, causing the children to become submerged in standing water. He later put down the older child and continued carrying the infant, falling repeatedly as he moved through the swamp.
Officers eventually reached the group, rescued both children and arrested Kinsey. The children were taken to Lakeland Regional Health, where they were treated and later released.
Man faces 11 charges
Police said Kinsey showed signs of impairment and told officers he had been intoxicated. He was also taken to hospital for treatment after his arrest.
Authorities said he had been driving with a suspended licence. Kinsey faces eight misdemeanour charges and three felony charges, including two counts of negligent child abuse causing great bodily harm.
Police have not disclosed the children’s relationship to Kinsey. They have also not said why the vehicle went through the closure signs before the crash.
