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ST. LOUIS (KTVI) - Three young children abandoned in a car crash Tuesday afternoon will be okay. The children were passengers inside a van clocked at 100 miles per hour by Pine Lawn police. The van crashed a short time later in north St. Louis at the intersection of Goodfellow Boulevard and Interstate 70.

Berkeley Police Chief Frank McCall Jr. says the case started in his jurisdiction with a call for help. He says a man and woman were arguing on the side of Interstate 170. When his officers responded to a call for help, the driver of the van took off.

McCall says once the female was able to help officers identify the male, the pursuit ended. He said his officers did not know children were inside the van.

Pine Lawn Lt. Steven Blakeney says his officers clocked the van speeding more than 100 miles per hour on Interstate 70. A short time later the van crashed.

Pine Lawn officer John Struckhoff heard a loud crash and responded to see if anyone needed medical help. Struckhoff was able to safely help the children get out of the van. Blakeney said his officer told him the children appeared to have been tossed around like rag dolls, and the children were not properly buckled.

Police identified the suspect but as of Tuesday night had not located him. He faces charges of assault, leaving the scene of the crash and child endangerment. The children were treated for minor injuries and placed in the custody of a relative.

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