Maine Man Crashes Car with Kid Yelling, Reports It Stolen

BREWER, Maine (AP) — Police in Maine say a man crashed his car into a utility pole and sped away with a child crying for help in the back seat before abandoning the vehicle and reporting it as stolen.

Witnesses told police in Brewer they saw the car knock down the pole Tuesday night. They heard a young girl yelling for help.

Police said while they were looking for the car, the vehicle was reported stolen by its owner. The car was later found. The child was found safe; authorities haven't identified her relationship to the driver.

Police charged 35-year-old Aaron Spinney, of Brewer, with leaving the scene of an accident, false report of a vehicle theft, endangering the welfare of a child, and others. It wasn't known if he had a lawyer. A phone number couldn't be found for him.