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Police: Man Left Baby Home Alone To Go Drinking

VADNAIS HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) -- A 24-year-old Vadnais Heights father faces several charges after police say he left his 10-month-old son home alone to go out drinking.

John Clifton Vail has been charged with neglect of a child, fleeing a police officer and driving while impaired for an incident that occurred on Monday morning.

Authorities say around 1:45 a.m., a Stillwater Police officer tried to pull over a vehicle on Water Street after noticing the driver had a brake light that was out. Police say the driver pulled over but when the officer approached his vehicle, he sped off, running a red light before driving into a snow bank.

The driver then left his vehicle and ran toward an alley on the north side of the Brick Alley building near Main and Nelson streets. Police say the driver, identified as Vail, was drunk, emotional and belligerent when officers caught up to him.

Vail told police he was a "bad father" and that he left his child at home alone, according to the charges. He gave an officer the keys to his home, where police found a 10-month-old baby boy asleep in a crib. No one else was present at the residence.

Vail was also arrested on Feb. 16, 2006 for driving under the influence.

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