MPD: Dad driving drunk leaves baby behind while he gets gas

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis dad is accused of walking away from a crash in Midtown and leaving his baby daughter behind in the car.

Police say Marcus Gilliam, 46, had been drinking when he wrecked his silver Honda SUV at Cleveland Street and Madison Avenue on Wednesday evening.

Officers pulled up at 5:15 and said they noticed front-end damage to the vehicle when they arrived, but Gilliam was nowhere in sight.

Firefighters who also responded to the scene told police they saw Gilliam leave. MPD said Gilliam was located in the area with a gas can in his hand.

According to the complaint affidavit, Gilliam told police that he had not hit anything and had just gone up the street to get some gas.

Officers said they smelled an odor of intoxicants on Gilliam and found open containers of alcohol on the center console of his vehicle. They said Gilliam also failed a field sobriety test.

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The baby, who was a few days shy of her first birthday, was transported to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and released to her mother.

Gilliam was charged with child endangerment, DUI, and public intoxication. He is being held on a $15,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

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