EVANSVILLE, Ind. — A 30-year-old Evansville man is facing charges of child neglect and drunk driving following a chaotic early-morning incident in which police say he crashed his vehicle into his own house.
According to local authorities, the events unfolded around 1:15 a.m. Wednesday when dispatchers received a 911 hang-up call. During the call, a child’s cries could be heard in the background, prompting police to return the call. A woman on the line reported that Zachary Anderson, the father of her child, had been breaking things and had driven into their home.
Officers arrived at the residence on Madison Avenue and found Anderson uncooperative. Police noted that Anderson appeared intoxicated at the scene. They later determined that the situation had begun when the woman and child were stranded at a nearby gas station with a flat tire. She called Anderson for assistance, hoping he would help change the tire. Instead, Anderson reportedly walked to the gas station, got into the car with the flat tire, and drove the woman and child back home.
During the drive, Anderson crashed into the house, causing further distress. Authorities say video footage captured the incident, with the child screaming in the backseat and the mother attempting to calm her down. Anderson was also heard yelling and cursing during the ride.
Despite initially denying that he had been drinking, police discovered that Anderson had used the woman’s debit card earlier in the evening to purchase alcohol. When officers requested that he submit to a blood alcohol test, Anderson refused.
As a result of the incident, Anderson now faces charges of child neglect and driving while intoxicated. Authorities are continuing to investigate the matter, and Anderson’s case will proceed through the legal system.
