A Brooklyn Park man with a long criminal history pleaded guilty Thursday in Ramsey County District Court to crashing a car and fleeing the scene while his two badly injured children lay inside the vehicle.

Earl L. Ward, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal vehicular operation with great bodily harm and leaving the scene of an accident.

According to the complaint, Ward had been drinking and, after a dispute with his girlfriend, slid into the driver's seat of a car she had been driving. Ward soon crashed the vehicle at Hazel Street and Mechanic Avenue in St. Paul about 3:22 a.m. on July 1. He fled, leaving behind his daughter, 14, and his son, who was 8 at the time, who had been passengers.

The vehicle had been driven into a cutout section of the road 8 to 10 inches deep and marked with orange cones, signs and caution tape.

Ward's girlfriend, who is also the children's mother, ran to the scene and called 911 when she heard the crash. She was at her older son's girlfriend's home nearby. She told police the family had gone to the drive-in theater the night before, where Ward got drunk and where she smelled what she believed was crack cocaine around him.

The woman told police that after the movie, she drove everyone to the son's girlfriend's home. She and Ward argued, the woman told police, and he took control of the car while she was outside of it.

Ward's children were found in the car with serious injuries. His daughter's eyes "were half-closed and she spoke faintly," the complaint said. His son's "left leg was wrapped around his right leg and his foot was near his head. He stated, 'My leg is broken.' Officers could see bone protruding from his left leg. He appeared to be in shock."

The children were transported to Regions Hospital, where Ward's daughter was found to have suffered spinal fractures and decreased sensation below her shoulders. Ward's son suffered a displaced femur fracture, an open wound and an injury to his femoral artery.

The court will hear arguments Dec. 29 about aggravating factors that could influence Ward's sentence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26.

Ward's criminal history includes convictions for assault, drug offenses, promotion of prostitution and fleeing police in a motor vehicle.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708

Twitter: @ChaoStrib