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04/19/2024 03:40:41 pm

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Freeway Bridge Drama: California Man Arrested For Killing Wife, Abducting 4 Sons

Freeway Bridge Drama

(Photo : REUTERS/MIKE BLAKE) Police and SWAT officers carry two boys to safety after an Amber Alert vehicle was stopped on a freeway exit ramp in Santee, California December 11, 2014.

The California Highway Patrol has just arrested a father who was suspected to have murdered his wife and abducted his four young sons as a dramatic standoff between the officials and the man ensued on Thursday at a freeway overpass in San Diego.

Police officials reportedly issued an "Amber Alert" over the children of the suspect identified as 43-year-old Daniel Diego Perez. The officials first found the body of a woman, most probably his wife's, inside the trunk of another car that was owned by the family before issuing the alert.

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After a few hours, it was found out that it was indeed Perez's wife identified as Erica Perez. According to California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Pearlstein, they feared that he might kill himself and his children when he stopped the car on a freeway ramp after he was chased for about 10 minutes at a speed of 85 mph.

A negotiator spoke on the phone with Perez and later, two of his four sons were releasd. However, officials sensed that there was a sudden change in Perez's behavior causing them to send in armored vehicles in order to block the car from both directions. Twenty-five San Diego County sheriff's deputies were also deployed at the scene.

"Something definitely changed. We decided we had to take a proactive approach instead of letting it play out," Pearlstein said.

Perez reportedly stepped out of the car and held one of his sons then walked towards the edge of the overpass. However, he let the child go then he was tackled by the officials and taken into custody.

Perez allegedly attempted to jump from the freeway, which is at 200-feet high, but officers shot him with a non-lethal bean bag.

The standoff in the bridge was the end of the search efforts of police for three days in an attempt to catch the suspect. According to Montebello Police Capt. Luis Lopez, Perez has had a criminal   history, but no details about it were released.

Relatives of the Perez couple said that they had a history of domestic violence to the point that it was even reported to the authorities.

The children were unharmed and are set safely return to Montebello. The relatives have yet to decide where the kids will be placed and who will be taking care of them.

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