Drunk mother drove her SUV off cliff with two bottles of wine in vehicle and children in the back seat, cops say

DAILYMAIL.COM • 2h ago

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER 00:20 13 Oct 2026, updated 00:20 13 Oct 2026

A Tennessee mother was allegedly drunk when she drove her SUV off a 25-foot cliff with her two young children in the back seat.

Chase Ryan Klinedinst, 30, had two bottles of wine in her vehicle when she plowed through a dead-end street before plunging over the edge of Coffey’s Cliff in Chattanooga, police said.

The vehicle landed upside down, leaving one child with a broken arm and bruised lungs.

The crash took place near a railroad track and forced train operations to be temporarily suspended as emergency crews rushed to the scene.

Both children were strapped into child safety seats when the SUV went over the edge.

Miraculously, both survived, although one suffered a fractured forearm, cuts and scrapes to both legs, and pulmonary contusions.

The injured child was admitted to hospital for treatment, while the other was examined and released without reported injuries.

Investigators claim Klinedinst was heavily intoxicated behind the wheel and discovered two bottles of wine inside her wrecked vehicle – one empty and another that was still cold and unopened.

The mother was arrested on Monday, more than a month after the plunge, and now faces multiple criminal charges.

According to an arrest affidavit, Klinedinst had been traveling west along Stuart Street in East Chattanooga when she reached a dead end.

But rather than stopping or turning around, investigators say she continued onto a dirt path leading toward Coffey’s Cliff, a popular vantage point for railroad enthusiasts overlooking the Debutts Rail Yard.

The SUV followed the path around a bend before hurtling over the cliff, dropping approximately 20 to 25 feet.

It came to rest upside down alongside railroad tracks below, triggering an emergency response and disrupting operations on the easternmost rail line.

Despite the violence of the crash, Klinedinst escaped without serious physical injuries, according to police.

Investigators say the children’s safety seats had kept them restrained throughout the ordeal.

When officers arrived at the wreckage they alleged Klinedinst smelled strongly of alcohol, was slurring her words and became combative with emergency medical personnel trying to assist her.

One officer recalled hearing a frustrated medic shout, ‘Stop grabbing me!’ as crews attempted to provide treatment.

Investigators concluded that ‘Klinedinst’s ability to operate a motor vehicle was extremely impaired and was a major contributing factor in the crash,’ according to the affidavit.

The mother was transported to Erlanger hospital for medical treatment following the incident.

After being medically cleared she was placed on a psychiatric hold because of what the affidavit described as ‘paranoia and delusions.’

Authorities have not disclosed further details about her mental condition or whether any psychiatric issues may have contributed to the events leading up to the crash.

Local 3 News reported that she was taken into custody and faces a charge of driving under the influence, two counts of child neglect and a charge of vehicular assault.

Another local account also listed child abuse and neglect among the alleged offenses.

Her bond was set at $10,000, and she is scheduled to appear in court on November 17.

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