Tulsa Police: Hit and Run Suspect Leaves Children At Crash Scene, Leads Officers On Chase

Tulsa police arrested a man on Monday accused of crashing a car with children inside, leaving the children at the scene, then leading officers on a chase.

Brian Hardy is in the Tulsa County jail facing child endangerment, eluding, hit and run and DUI charges.

The arrest and booking report said officers were called to a crash near 71st and Riverside around 9 p.m. on Monday night.

The report said officers saw a car driving away when they arrived, so they went after it and tried to stop it. But the report said the driver kept going, reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour on Riverside.

The chase did not last long before police said the driver pulled over near 81st and Lewis and that is when officers said they arrested Hardy.

There were not any children in the car at that time, but the arrest report said when Hardy crashed, three children were with him between the ages of seven and 15. Officers said the children got out of the car before Hardy drove away from the hit and run scene near 71st and Riverside.

The arrest report said officers could smell alcohol on Hardy's breath and that he was unsteady, had slurred speech and did not understand basic commands.

The report said officers found empty alcohol containers in the trunk of Hardy's car. It said Hardy told officers he'd had two beers.

The arrest report said the children also told officers the suspect had been drinking.