A Los Angeles man pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he led police on a chase with his 11-month-old daughter in his car.
Michael Callender, 29, allegedly took his daughter from her mother on May 12 and nearly ran the woman over as she tried to prevent him from leaving with the girl. Police began chasing him in East Los Angeles, with the pursuit ending with Callender safely surrendering the girl in South Los Angeles.
He was charged May 14 with one felony count each of assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death and fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle while driving recklessly, along with one misdemeanor count of battery on a girlfriend or child’s parent.
Callender was released on bond early May 22, jail records show.
He could face a potential maximum sentence of more than eight years in state prison if convicted as charged, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.