Father arrested after allegedly abducting 3 children, fleeing Modesto in stolen SUV
A man was arrested Friday for allegedly abducting his three young children and fleeing Modesto with them in a stolen vehicle, the California Highway Patrol said.
A “Be on the lookout” alert went out for for 30-year-old Shawn David Martinez, who officers believed was traveling south on Interstate 5 after fleeing Modesto in a Blue Nissan Murano with children, who are 6, 4 and 2 years old.
According to a post on the Modesto Police Department Facebook page, the incident began Friday at about 7:45 a.m., when the police received a report of a carjacking that took place near Rose and Celeste avenues.
Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said he took them after an altercation with the children’s mother.
“After an altercation, Martinez took the vehicle with his three children still in the car, leaving the mom behind,” MPD said.
CHP Fort Tejon officers responded around 1:30 p.m. Friday to the alert after they learned Martinez was possibly in the Lebec area. They located the vehicle on I-5 south of Quail Lake.
Officers pulled Martinez over near Smokey Bear Road, about 240 miles south of Modesto and arrested him around 2:30 p.m..
Martinez was taken into custody without incident, and the three children were returned unharmed to their mother.
Martinez faces preliminary charges related to stealing a vehicle and possession of stolen property, the CHP said. Bear said he also faces a domestic violence charge, but he was not charged with any kidnapping offense because he has some custody rights.
This story was originally published February 14, 2022 at 10:36 AM.
