Police said four children were in the back seat without seatbelts or car seats.
ATLANTA, GA — A Cobb County father is facing child endangerment charges after police said he led officers on a chase with his four children in the back seat before crashing his Jeep earlier this month.
Carlos Rubio was accused of driving recklessly and speeding during a pursuit that ended when the SUV flipped onto its side, according to information reported from an arrest warrant and statements from Austell police. The case has drawn attention because police said the children were not wearing seatbelts or sitting in car seats during the chase.
Rubio’s wife, Denise Camacho, said the children have struggled since the crash. “My kids are traumatized, and it’s hard for them to even get in a car or hear the sirens,” Camacho said. She said Rubio told her he was trying to turn into the police station when an officer struck the Jeep from behind, causing the SUV to spin and overturn. Police said Rubio did not stop during the chase and was later charged after the crash.
According to the arrest warrant, investigators said Rubio drove 20 miles above the speed limit and drove erratically and recklessly while officers followed him. Police said all four children were in the back seat. They also said the children were not secured by seatbelts or car seats. The report did not identify the children by name or age. It was not immediately clear whether any of the children were taken to a hospital or whether they had visible injuries after the crash.
Camacho disputed parts of the police account. She said Rubio initially made a U-turn when he saw police but did not realize he had come upon a checkpoint. She said he believed the road was closed because of an accident. “What he told me was he thought that it was an accident, so the road was closed,” Camacho said. She said Rubio became aware officers were chasing him and wanted to get the children to safety.
The crash happened in the Austell area of Cobb County, west of Atlanta. Police pursuits in Georgia often face close review when children or other passengers are inside a fleeing vehicle, especially when a chase ends in a crash. In this case, the central questions include why Rubio did not stop, what officers knew during the pursuit, and whether the use of a maneuver that ended the chase followed department policy.
Camacho said Rubio was not speeding and did not stop at first because of past negative experiences with police. She also said he was on his way to the police department to surrender. “Why would the officer think, like, first thing is the PIT maneuver,” Camacho said. “I would like for them to be transparent and clear.” Police have not publicly released a full pursuit report, body camera video or dash camera video in the case.
Austell police said their policy requires every pursuit to be reviewed through the chain of command up to the police chief. The department said that review is still underway. Police also agreed to an interview about the arrest on Tuesday, June 16, after saying officials were not available Monday. Any additional charges, court dates or findings from the review had not been publicly announced as of Tuesday.
The case remained active Tuesday, with Rubio facing child endangerment charges and the department’s pursuit review still pending. The next public step is expected to be Austell police’s account of the chase and crash.
Author note: Last updated June 16, 2026.