This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A Salt Lake City father was in jail Tuesday, the day after allegedly abandoning his two young children injured in his wrecked car while he fled from the scene of a traffic accident.

Salt Lake City police said the suspect rear-ended another vehicle at 600 S. 700 East about 8:25 p.m. Tuesday. He ran from the accident scene on foot, leaving his children, ages 9 and 2, behind, police said.

The children sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for evaluation. They were then released to a family member, Salt Lake City police Det. Dennis McGowan said.

Police contacted the driver on his cell phone and eventually convinced him to return to the scene.

The 27-year-old man was arrested and booked into Salt Lake County jail, where he remained Wednesday in lieu of $4,956 bail. He was being held on suspicion of class A misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol; class C misdemeanor counts of improper lookout and driving on a denied license; and a class B misdemeanor count of hit and run.