Driver leaves child after crashing SUV into home

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- Police have arrested a man after he slammed his sport utility vehicle into a home and fled the scene on foot, leaving a 6-year-old inside.

The incident occurred at 300 SW 2nd St. in Pompano Beach, Monday afternoon. According to neighbors, they noticed the driver of the white SUV speeding around the corner of the neighborhood. He then lost control of the vehicle and slammed right through a window of a duplex. Half the vehicle was left hanging out of the structure, off the ground.

The driver then got out of the car and fled the scene, leaving his 4-year-old step daughter inside. A neighbor said the girl was not in a car seat. "The little girl in the front, she didn't have a car seat. She should have been in a car seat. He shouldn't have been drunk, and then to go through a window like that is crazy," said the woman.

The owner of the home, Miguel, ran after the man and held him until police arrived on the scene and took him into custody.

The man is said to live in a nearby building and crashed the vehicle as he was trying to park. Officials believe he might have been driving under the influence of alcohol.

The little girl was taken to the hospital, but has been released.

Police have charged the man with DUI and child endangerment.

The residents of the duplex have been forced to move out due to the damage to the property.

(Copyright 2012 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)