Amber Alert canceled for girl abducted in Idaho; found unharmed in Arizona
May 20, 2019, 7:18 PM | Updated: May 21, 2019, 4:37 pm
Sandra Rios-Chavez and Miguel Rodriguez-Perez (DPS Photos)
(DPS Photos)
PHOENIX — A teenage girl who authorities said was taken from a restaurant in Idaho has been found safe in Surprise on Monday and her alleged abductor was in custody.
An Amber Alert for Sandra Rios-Chavez, 17, was canceled early Tuesday. She appeared to be unharmed and was waiting to be reunited with her family.
The 18-year-old suspect was taken into custody without further incident, said Sgt. Tim Klarkowski with the Surprise Police Department. They were found near Bell Road and Cotton Lane around 1 a.m., ending a five-hour search.
The Amber Alert had been issued for Rios-Chavez, who authorities said had been abducted by Miguel Rodriguez-Perez from her job at a Wendy’s in Jerome, Idaho, on Sunday.
Arizona Department of Public Safety alert coordinator Trooper Chrystal Moore told KTAR News 92.3 FM that Idaho authorities said Rodriguez-Perez was making his way to Arizona because he had friends here.
Klarkowski said officers became aware of a possible route and located the suspect’s vehicle on Monday. They were in a 2015 black Audi A4 with Idaho license plate number 2J83179.
When officers attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle drove off. It was found abandoned a few minutes later near 187th Avenue and Happy Valley Road.
JUST IN: Authorities confirm Idaho AMBER Alert suspect stopped in #Surprise, search underway: https://t.co/0m9MzfbT06 #abc15 pic.twitter.com/VDmJ959QB8
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) May 21, 2019
Officers from several jurisdictions set up a perimeter and searched the area for the young woman and the suspect.
Rodriguez-Perez’s cellphone was pinged in the area of Bell Road and Cotton Lane in Surprise hours later.
The pair were located in that area “hidden underneath bushes/trees,” according to court documents.
According to a tweet from the Arizona Department of Transportation, Rodriguez-Perez’s phone had first been traced to a cell tower near Kingman, alerting law enforcement they were in the state.
Trooper Pedro Pena said Rios-Chavez has a protective order against Rodriguez-Perez, who allegedly has assaulted her and said he wanted to kill her.
Rodriguez-Perez was held on $1 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court next on May 29.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross and Taylor Kinnerup and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
