Randall Sears, 49, was arrested shortly after walking with his 1-year-old girl in the middle of E 29th Street.A Chattanooga man was arrested for child neglect Saturday afternoon after he allegedly got drunk and allowed his toddler daughter to walk into oncoming traffic on a busy thoroughfare.
Officers first responded to the 3000 block of 13th Avenue after receiving a report from an anonymous caller who said a man who appeared to be either mentally unstable or intoxicated was lying in the middle of the road with a young child standing over him, according to court records.
Randall Sears, 49, was found shortly afterward walking with the 1-year-old girl in the middle of E 29th Street. Officers noted several drivers were blocking the road with their cars in apparent concern for the child.
An officer activated his emergency equipment and began to drive slowly toward the man, who picked up the toddler and started to carry her over his shoulder. The officer got out of his car and demanded Sears hand over the girl to another officer.
Sears was taken into custody and an officer noted he was barefoot, smelled strongly of alcohol and exhibited signs of being drunk.
One of the drivers who had blocked traffic told the officer that, before police arrived, the girl was walking in the road into oncoming traffic while the man walked in the same direction with traffic.
The driver also said two vehicles coming around the curve at 30 miles per hour narrowly missed hitting the girl. Neighbors confirmed the girl had almost been hit and added Sears "grabbed the girl by her hair" to pull her to his side of the road.
Sears was charged with child neglect, reckless endangerment and obstruction of a roadway. He is scheduled to appear before General Sessions Judge Lila Statom on May 23.