ST. PAUL — St. Paul police said a father is under arrest after he wrecked a van, then left his injured children behind as he fled the scene.

The man had reportedly driven off with the children after their mother became afraid because of things he’d said and got out to get away from him. He’d already been accused of assaulting her.

The mother soon heard a crash and her children screaming from a block away early Tuesday. She found them seriously hurt. Her 14-year-old daughter’s neck was broken. Her 8-year-old daughter had a broken leg with a severed artery.

Acting on a tip, police found the 45-year-old father at a relative’s home in St. Paul and arrested him without incident Tuesday evening.