SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Police say a father who was involved in DUI crash left his injured children behind, running away from the scene on Tuesday evening.SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Police say a father who was involved in DUI crash left his injured children behind, running away from the scene on Tuesday evening.
According to police, 27-year-old Michael Stoltenberg was behind the wheel when he rear-ended another vehicle at 600 South 700 East in Salt Lake City.
Police say Stoltenberg took off running as soon as his car came to a stop.
Inside his vehicle, police found his two children, a nine year old in the front seat and a two year old in the back.
Stoltenberg's sister tells ABC4 News that she is furious that he would abandon her nieces.
"When I first heard about it I wanted to punch him in the face because my nieces are important to me," says Jessica Stoltenberg. "As a parent myself I can't believe he would do this."
And Stoltenberg was no where to be found. Police did have his phone number and tried talking to him. But he refused to turn himself in. Eventually he did return to the scene of the accident and was arrested.
"She's got some scratches on her face and her eye was scratched," says his sister. "It's pretty painful for her to open it but with eyedrops it helps she can still see."
Police say after the crash, Stolenberg was seen running from the scene, leaving his young children, aged 9 and 2, in the car.
Polcie say the children sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
Police say officers later contacted the children’s father, and convinced him to return to the scene.
According to police, Stoltenberg was ultimately arrested for DUI, leaving the scene of an injury accident, and child endangerment.
