TYLER, Texas — A Tyler man accused of leaving 1-year-old daughter alone in her car seat on the side of the road while intoxicated initially told officers his child was at his home with a full-time nurse, documents show.
Paul Hanna, 37, is charged with driving while intoxicated for a second time and child endangerment. He was arrested Tuesday and his bonds total $752,500, according to Smith County Jail records.
A cyclist said the baby was sitting in a car seat on the side of the road in the 5100 block of Rhones Quarter Road in Tyler. That cyclist then went into a nearby home and called 9-1-1 from there.
After getting reviewed by EMS, officials determined the child just had a minor abrasion on her hand. She was later picked up by family members, the arrest affidavit said.
Andy Erbaugh, Tyler police spokesperson, said Hanna was found Tuesday night at the CEFCO parking lot on Troup Highway. Police determined Hanna, the child's father, was the last person seen with the child.
According to the arrest affidavit, Hanna initially told police that his 1-year-old daughter was at his home with a full-time nurse who was attending to his 4-year-old son.
The night nurse told police that Hanna lives with the two children and the nurse hadn't seen Hanna or the baby girl in three hours. Using photos of the child, the nurse was able to identify the child as Hanna's, the affidavit said.
While interviewing Hanna, police officers said he gave numerous conflicting accounts and found him "uncredible and intoxicated," the affidavit read.