Kidnapped Boys Rescued On California Highway

The search for four boys in California came to a head on a transition road by SR 52 Highway.

California Highway Patrol located the car of Daniel Perez through use of a LoJack system. When they found him in El Cajon, California, they attempted to pull him over, but he led the highway patrol on a chase until he reached the eastbound State Route 52 highway.

At that time, the California Highway Patrol and the El Cajon Police Department surrounded him, causing a standoff to ensue.

Perez remained inside the car, but released two of his sons during the standoff.

The incident on the highway began at around 9 a.m. Thursday. After releasing two of his sons, Perez held his other two sons inside the car until nearly 10 a.m. At that time, he emerged with the boys.

He kept one of the boys close while having the other walk on his own. With his children as hostages, he was able to make it to the edge of the California highway, which could have resulted in a 200-foot fall.

“Immediately, when he stopped there, that’s what we all said, ‘You just don’t stop right there unless you’re thinking of jumping,'” said Kevin Pearlstein, a California Highway Patrol officer.

Authorities managed to shoot Perez with a bean bag, using nonlethal means because of his proximity to the children, and then tackled him before he had the opportunity to jump from the highway. He was arrested at that time.

All four children, Jordan (11), Jaiden (9), Tristin (8), and Alex (6), we able to be rescued and were not physically harmed in any way.

The Amber Alert was put out on Wednesday after Daniel Perez’s wife was found dead in the trunk of her car near Montebello, California.

According to CBS News, Daniel and Erica Perez had a history of domestic violence. Daniel’s family insisted that Erica was the attacker from that history. Backing up their claim is the fact that, in February 2011, Erica Perez was convicted of felony spouse abuse.

The couple had one other son who was staying with his grandmother at the time his other brothers went missing.

Since the situation, California authorities have reported that the boys have been told of their mother’s death and are now attempting to return to their lives.

[Image courtesy of the Los Angeles Times]