Father crashes into canal drunk driving and leaves children at the scene

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — A father is accused of drunk driving and crashing his SUV into a canal and leaving his children as he fled before police arrived.

FHP troopers say a 31-year-old Lehigh Acres man was driving north on Sunshine Boulevard, approaching a curve near Queen Drive, when the vehicle veered off the roadway across a grass embankment and into the canal at about 4:40 a.m. on Friday.

The SUV remained upright, allowing the driver and his three children - ages six, five and two - to escape with the assistance of a bystander.

The father fled the scene leaving the children behind. He was later found near his residence, about a mile and a half from the crash.

The driver and one of the young children received minor injuries in the crash.

The driver is facing 3 counts of DUI, 2 counts of leaving the scene of a crash, 3 counts of child neglect, and 3 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.