CPD: Man flees police, crashes car, leaves young daughter at scene

CLARKSVILLE — A Clarksville man pulled over for a traffic stop Wednesday sped away from police, turned onto Rotary Park Drive and crashed in the park before running away and leaving his 7-year-old daughter behind, according to an arrest warrant.

Wilfredo Valcarcel Ortiz, 26, was later found and charged with evading arrest, aggravated child abuse and neglect, failure to to give information and render aid, reckless driving, driving on a revoked license, leaving the scene of a wreck with injuries, having nonfunctional car lights and no proof of insurance.

According to an arrest warrant, Valcarcel Ortiz was stopped on US 41-A Bypass shortly after 3 p.m. for not having two working rear brake lights.

"the vehicle then flew away driving down into Rotary Park and did not stop for my patrol vehicle even though my emergency blue lights were activated," according to the warrant.

Clarksville photographer Clifton Whittaker was taking photos of birds inside the park when he heard a "grinding, skidding sound and then a long thump," he said

"I glanced up and didn't immediately recognize what I was seeing," he said. "There was a car upside down flipping through the air near the TVA power lines. It landed on the driver's side on a bank and slowly turned over onto what was left of its wheels."

He was even more surprised at what happened next.

As he and others ran to offer aid, a man got out of the crashed Chevrolet Monte Carlo, turned around pulled a little girl out of the car. Neither appeared to be seriously hurt, although the girl had some cuts and scrapes to her arm.

"The driver turned and started running and never looked back," Whittaker said. "He crossed the road and disappeared into the weeds and bushes under the power lines to the north."

Bystanders tried to comfort the girl who was crying for her father, Whittaker said.

The officer who had attempted to pull Valcarcel Ortiz over did not pursue the car before the crash, said Clarksville Police Department Spokeswoman Natalie Hall.

But a short time later the officer was called to the wreck in Rotary Park and talked to witnesses and the girl.

The girl told police her father had been driving.

"This action put the 7-year-old child in severe danger," CPD officer Shawn Brown wrote in the arrest warrant.

A check showed Valcarcel Ortiz's Tennessee driver's license to be revoked.

Hall said the father was arrested later in the day but could not provide additional details.

"I cannot share anything further about him leaving his juvenile daughter, because that is not only an ongoing investigation, but it is also a (Department of Children's Services) referral," Hall said.

Hall said the child had minor injuries but was OK.

Valcarcel Ortiz, who gave a Malibu Drive address, was booked into the Montgomery County Jail Wednesday night on $71,000 bond.

Reach Breaking News Reporter Stephanie Ingersoll at 245-0267 or on Twitter @StephLeaf