Dad arrested after crash injures children
A father was arrested on suspicion of vehicular assault Monday after a one-car crash that injured his 5-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter in south Spokane County.
Heath Barden, 35, of Cheney, was driving north in the 14000 block of South Murphy Road when his 2004 Mitsubishi Montero left the roadway as he tried to complete a curve, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The car rolled at least twice before coming to a rest on the driver’s side. Investigators say the crash scene extended 200 feet, which indicated Barden was driving faster than the 35 mph speed limit.
Barden’s daughter received only minor injuries, but his son had glass in one of his eyes, and it was swollen shut, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators believe Barden had been drinking.
“Child Protection Services was notified of the incident per the recent new law requiring such notification when DUI suspects are arrested with children in the vehicle,” Deputy Craig Chamberlin said in a news release. “The collision is still under investigation.”
* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Sirens & Gavels." Read all stories from this blog