SURPRISE, AZ — Authorities say a suspect wanted for taking a 17-year-old girl from where she worked in Idaho has been stopped in Surprise, Arizona. The victim has also been located.
Monday the Jerome County Sheriff's Office said 18-year-old Miguel Rodriguez-Perez forcibly kidnapped Sandra Rios-Chavez from the Wendy's in Jerome, Idaho, around 6 p.m. Sunday.
According to information posted with the AMBER Alert, the FBI believed Rios-Chavez was in danger. Authorities say that Rio-Chavez has an order of protection filed against Rodriguez-Perez, and that he has threatened and assaulted her in the past.
A spokesperson for the Surprise Police Department said authorities were made aware of the AMBER Alert and were provided with information about a possible route of travel through Surprise. Officers patrolling the area reportedly located the suspect vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but a brief pursuit ensued.
The suspect vehicle, a black 2015 Audi A4 with Idaho license plate 2J-83179, was found abandoned a short distance later south of US 60 near Deer Valley Road. Multiple law enforcement agencies searched the area for the suspect and victim.
Early Tuesday morning, Surprise officials said both were located and the victim appeared to be unharmed.
The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
Earlier Monday afternoon, the Arizona Department of Transportation tweeted that Rodriguez-Perez's phone was traced to a cell tower in the Kingman area and that he has connections to Mexico.
