Man charged with fleeing police, leaving baby in car
Published 2:52 pm Wednesday, July 2, 2025
- Chad Morgan
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An Austin man is facing charges after he reportedly fled from police on foot during an attempted traffic stop and was found hiding in Goose Lake — all while leaving an infant in his car on Monday.
Chad Lee Morgan, 51, faces charges of neglect or endangerment of a child, a gross misdemeanor; driving after cancellation inimical to public safety, a gross misdemeanor; and fleeing a peace officer by means other than a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor.
Morgan appeared in Freeborn County District Court on the charges on Tuesday.
Court documents state an officer was on directed patrol in the Tiger Hills neighborhood and observed a white Mercedes-Benz SUV with dark window tint and attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle reportedly turned into the driveway at 1786 Tiger Ridge, after which Morgan exited the vehicle and ran toward the house.
The officer gave an order to stop and told Morgan he was under arrest, but Morgan reportedly ran south toward a soybean field, toward Goose Lake and a wooded area.
A Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant who responded to the scene found a 5-month-old child had been left in a car seat in the running vehicle with its doors locked and windows closed. It was reportedly 76 degrees at noon that day and 80 at 2 p.m.
Court documents state Morgan was found two hours later after the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office deployed a drone and found Morgan swimming in the lake. An Albert Lea police officer boarded a boat brought by Albert Lea Fire Rescue and found Morgan reportedly hidden in lake foliage, where he was arrested and transported back to shore.
During transport, Morgan reportedly asked about his daughter.
Morgan was found to have a canceled driving status, and police found drug paraphernalia in the vehicle and on the ground near where he had thrown a plastic baggie.
In court on Tuesday, District Court Judge Christy Hormann set Morgan’s bail at $6,000 without conditions and $1,000 with conditions.
He is next slated to appear in court July 10.