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Woman calls 911 after seeing man passed out in running car with baby inside

Posted at 11:31 PM, Jul 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-19 07:34:40-04

A Sarasota woman saw a man passed out behind the wheel of a car and a toddler crawling inside.

Kristen Andrews recorded part of that incident on her cell phone. She called 911 at the same time.

"You guys have got to get here," she told a dispatcher.

The incident happened Friday afternoon near 1088 N Washington Blvd. in Sarasota.

Andrews said the car was in the median, facing Washington Blvd.

"And I just waited and prayed that the guy wouldn't move his foot," Andrews said.

Andrews said the car was running and the driver had his foot on the brake.

"I was angry and I was just thinking about staying calm and saving that little (boy), making sure that little boy was ok," Andrews said.

Andrews watched the baby tap his dad with a phone, trying to wake him up. She tried to get the toddler away from the steering wheel. She was nervous the car was going to drive into traffic.

"I'm really worried they need to get here 'cause if he lets go of it, the baby is turning the wheel," she told a dispatcher.

She breathed a sign of relief when emergency crews arrived.

"They got the door open and one of them put his foot or his hand on the brake and got it in gear and then they tossed the keys out," Andrews said.

Sarasota police officers said the father, 28-year-old Winton Foulks was intoxicated. Andrews said she was grateful she saw Foulks passed out.

"Honestly he put that baby in harm's way when he chose to drive drunk -whatever they feel needs to happen, I think he needs to get help," Andrews said.

Foulks was charged with DUI. Officers recommended adding a child abuse charge. ABC Action News went to Foulks home and someone there told us they were not interested to share their side of the story.