A Gary man is facing charges for a drunken crash in Merrillville that hurt at least two of his kids, according to charging documents.
Patrick Stevens, 37, was charged Tuesday with 15 felonies, including neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He also faces four misdemeanors.
He has not been apprehended. When arrested, he is ordered held on a $15,000 cash bond.
Merrillville Police responded just before 4 p.m. Jan. 5 to the 6700 block of Harrison Street for a rollover crash. Officers found an empty white Dodge Journey on its hood with a car seat inside.
A “small crowd” gathered around Stevens and his three children, aged 8, 7, and 2, who were down the block.
A witness said the vehicle sped down the road, hit a tree, flipped and slid down the street, hitting multiple mailboxes.
Stevens was “unsteady” and fell multiple times, according to the affidavit.
The children were “covered in a significant amount of blood,” according to court records. A child, 8, had a big forehead gash.
Stevens said he was taking them home from school and denied he was drinking, but had recently smoked marijuana. He said another vehicle hit him.
He scored above the legal limit of .08 on a breathalyzer, but declined a chemical breath test. Police got a warrant for a blood draw, which also was over the legal limit.
The children told paramedics that none were wearing seat belts.
A woman said she was turning into a driveway when Stevens’ vehicle clipped her at a high rate of speed, court records state.
One of Stevens’ children suffered a broken wrist and another has a significant concussion.
mcolias@post-trib.com
