W’burg police make pair of child endangerment related arrests over five-hour period

A Rockholds man and a Williamsburg man are both facing child endangerment related charges following a pair of separate incidents over a recent five-hour period.

The first incident occurred about 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 25 when Williamsburg Police arrested Daniel M. Chandler, 40, of Rockholds, on charges of first-degree wanton endangerment, endangering the welfare of a minor, possession of drug paraphernalia, and public intoxication, according to a police department release.

The arrest occurred along South 10^th Street at a gas station where Chandler was found passed out in a vehicle with a three-year-old child. Chandler is accused of being under the influence and drug paraphernalia was found at the scene, according to the release.

According to his arrest citation, Chandler failed field sobriety tests, was allegedly passed out in the driver’s seat, and the child was found in the backseat of the car.

About 6:30 a.m. on Nov. 25, Williamsburg Police arrested Alvaro Manriqez, 22, of Williamsburg, charging him with two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.

The arrest occurred following an incident at a local motel where two small children ages one and three were found at the scene. Manriqez was accused of being under the influence and abandoning the two children, according to the release.

The incident began when Williamsburg Police received a call about a possible overdose at the motel. When police contacted Manriqez he allegedly kept passing out and had slurred speech, according to his arrest citation.

Manriqez wife gave police permission to search the apartment, and a plastic bag with brown residue was found in an area where the two children were located, the citation stated.

Manriqez allegedly told police that he snorted what he believed to be cocaine. EMS administered Narcan to Manriqez, according to the arrest citation.

Since the story first appeared in the News Journal, the newspaper has been contacted by two relatives of Manriqez, who stated that the only thing in his system when he was booked at the jail was marijuana.

Both Chandler and Manriqez were lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center, and both were released from jail shortly before 6 p.m. Monday, according to the jail’s website.

Williamsburg Police Officers Daniel Lovitt, K-9 Officer Johnny Fulton and K-9 Sgt. Elijah Hunter were involved with the Chandler investigation.

Lovitt and Fulton were both involved with the Manriqez investigation.