A Tennessee mother accused of driving while severely impaired sent her SUV plunging off a 25-foot cliff with her two young children strapped in the backseat, leaving the vehicle overturned just feet from railroad tracks, authorities said.
Chase Ryan Klinedinst, 30, is facing multiple criminal charges following the September 7 crash at Coffey’s Cliff in Chattanooga, where investigators say she drove her 2020 Honda CR-V down a dirt path and straight over the edge.
Both children, who are younger than 8, survived the terrifying plunge. One suffered a broken arm and a bruised lung, while the other escaped without serious injuries.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Klinedinst was traveling west on Stuart Street when she approached Coffey’s Cliff, a popular overlook where railroad enthusiasts gather to watch trains moving through the DeButts Rail Yard.
Rather than stopping, investigators say she followed a dirt path around a bend before turning left and driving over the steep drop.
The SUV fell approximately 20 to 25 feet before landing upside down beside the railroad tracks. The crash was serious enough that rail operations on the easternmost track had to be suspended.
When emergency crews arrived, they discovered both children strapped into their car seats inside the wrecked vehicle.
One child had an obvious fracture to her left wrist or forearm and was rushed to a hospital. Additional reporting indicated she also suffered a bruised lung. The second child was examined and released.
Investigators quickly became suspicious of Klinedinst’s condition.
According to court documents, the mother was slurring her words, smelled strongly of alcohol, and became combative with paramedics attempting to help her.
At one point, a medic repeatedly shouted, “Stop grabbing me,” as emergency responders struggled to provide treatment.
A search of the SUV reportedly uncovered an empty bottle of Vinho Verde wine and a second, unopened bottle of Gewürztraminer wine that was still cold and covered in condensation.
Police described Klinedinst as “extremely impaired” and alleged that her condition played a major role in the crash.
Investigators also accused her of recklessly endangering her children’s lives by driving in such a dangerous manner.
Klinedinst was transported to a hospital for treatment and subsequently placed on a psychiatric hold. Blood samples collected during her medical care are expected to undergo testing at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime laboratory.
The results of those tests had not been publicly released as of October 14.
Klinedinst faces charges including driving under the influence, child neglect, child abuse, and vehicular assault. Authorities have also reported two counts of child neglect.
A judge set her bond at $10,000, and she is scheduled to appear in court on November 17.
The case has raised serious concerns about how close the crash came to becoming a double tragedy, with both young children trapped inside an overturned vehicle near railroad tracks.
For now, the children have survived an extraordinary ordeal, while their mother faces serious criminal allegations.
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