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Man Facing DUI Charges For Rollover Crash With Kids In Vehicle

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LINCOLN-LEMINGTON (KDKA) - A suspected drunk driver crashed his car over the weekend with several children inside.

Melvin Crew found a white Kia Sorento SUV on its side around 9:30 p.m. Sunday on Westmoreland Avenue in the Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar section of the city.

"I was just sitting in the house, heard this loud crash, boom, boom, boom, thought somebody hit my car," said Crew.

According to police, Laron Cottrell, 39, was driving the car and told officers he was drinking tequila before he got behind the wheel. Cottrell had several other passengers in the car, including four children.

Laron Cottrell
(Photo Courtesy: Allegheny County Jail)

Crew ran outside to help when he realized what had happened.

"The lady was screaming about her kids. Get her kids out, get her kids out. So, I ran out of the house, went down there and started pulling them out of the car," said Crew.

"It was a mess. I don't want to throw shade, but there was a case of beer rolling around the ground," said neighbor Kevin Walker.

One of the adult passengers wasn't cooperating with police and also faces some charges. Four kids were taken to Children's Hospital after dealing with head pain. Crew said they were shaken up.

"They were real scared and upset because they thought the car was going to catch on fire," said Crew.

"Couple minutes later, the police showed up and everybody shooed everybody away because there was fluids on the ground and what not and the car was still on," said Walker.

Cottrell faces multiple charges, including four counts of endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and driving under the influence.

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