Jefferson City man charged after crash, police say child was in vehicle

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Cole County Prosecutor's Office charged a Jefferson City man on Tuesday after a crash that happened while a child was in the vehicle.

Brenden Saffeels has been charged with driving while intoxicated, endangering the welfare of a child and careless and imprudent driving.

The crash happened on Monday shortly before 7 p.m., according to the probable cause statement, in the 2200 block of Tower Drive in Jefferson City. Responding police found Saffeels and a 4-year-old child. The child was taken to a hospital for minor facial injuries.

According to the probable cause statement, a witness following Saffeels' vehicle called to report the crash and said Saffeels was trying to leave the scene. She told police she'd been following Saffeels and saw him "struggling to maintain [his] lane of travel."

After Saffeels crashed on Tower Drive, the witness said she saw him throw something into nearby bushes. When police searched the area, they found a bottle labeled "Galaxy Gas," according to the probable cause statement.

The officer filing the statement wrote that "Galaxy Gas" contains nitrous oxide, which can cause dizziness and hallucinations, among other effects. Saffeels allegedly showed signs of impairment during a field sobriety test.

A summons has been issued for Saffeels to appear in court on December 16.