Cody Thomas
Nebraska State Patrol
(Broken Bow, Neb.) — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested an Ohio man and safely rescued an abducted child following a pursuit Saturday.
Saturday afternoon, NSP received information from the Columbus Police Department of Ohio that a suspect of a child abduction may be traveling westbound on I-80 in Nebraska. The child, a three-year-old, was believed to be in the vehicle, which was a GMC Sierra.
Troopers located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop near mile marker 245, near Overton. The suspect refused to yield and accelerated, passing vehicles on the shoulder. Troopers initiated a pursuit. The suspect reached speeds of approximately 100 MPH and continued passing vehicles on the shoulder. Out of concern for the child and other motorists on the road, troopers discontinued the pursuit and issues alerts to other law enforcement agencies about the situation.
A short time later, Dawson County 911 received a report of the suspect vehicle driving northbound on Cozad Road into Custer County. The vehicle then turned westbound onto Highway 40 near Callaway. Troopers were able to successfully deploy spot sticks, but the driver refused to stop. A trooper reengaged the pursuit.
Additional troopers were located at the intersection of Highway 40 and Highway 47 to attempt another deployment of stop sticks. As the driver reached that location, he drove off the road and at a trooper. The trooper was able to run out of the way to avoid getting struck.
The suspect continued fleeing northbound on Highway 47 and then westbound on Highway 92, where the driver drove off the road, through a fence, and into a field, where the pickup became disabled. Troopers were then able to take the driver into custody without further incident. The child was located safely in the rear seat of the pickup.
The driver, Diego Revilla Gonzalez, 27, was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, child abuse (no injury), attempted assault on an officer, and numerous traffic violations. He was lodged in Custer County Jail. The child was medically cleared and placed in protective care pending reunification with her mother.