Published: May 15, 2008 04:44 pm         

Woman who left the scene of an accident charged with endangering infant children

A Crossville woman who police said was involved in a traffic accident inside the city was one of two people arrested as a result of the crash and the disturbance that followed. The woman's two infant children — both less than one years old — were in the vehicle but were not hurt in the crash.

It all began around 10 p.m. Saturday night when police were dispatched to a disturbance in front of 27 Central Ave. around 10 p.m. and arrived to find a hysterical woman sitting behind a vehicle left running but parked on the city street.

The resulting investigation revealed that Christine Desiree Savage, 19, 87 Eureka Dr., had been driving a Chevrolet Suburban on Genesis Rd. with her 11-month-old and two-week-old babies in the vehicle when she collided with a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am that was occupied by Phillip and Leslie Young of Crossville.

Allegedly Savage then drove her vehicle to the Central St. address, followed by the Youngs. At that location Savage removed her children from the vehicle and told a person present to deliver her children to her mother at the Villager Inn.

A group of people gathered at the scene and as police arrived one in the group, who apparently had not been involved in the accident, ran away. He was apprehended about two blocks away near the Tennessee Career Center. Savage allegedly became combative with responding officers, according to Ptl. J.C. Hancock's report, and she was placed under arrest.

Savage is charged with two counts of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, resisting arrest and refusing to take an intoximeter test, according to jail records.

Jerrell Wayne Jackson, 25, 421 Old Ridge Rd., Sparta, who was not involved in the original traffic accident, was arrested for public intoxication after fleeing when police arrived, and was jailed on two outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court.

Savage is to appear in Cumberland County General Sessions Court Monday.