The Yuba City Police Department received a report that a 17-year-old girl was missing from her home on White Rock Drive. Detectives treated the case as high-risk from the start because of her age and the circumstances of her disappearance.

A critical lead

Investigators soon found that the teen had been in contact with a 26-year-old Texas man who had recently traveled to Yuba City. According to original reports, police also learned he had pending charges in Texas involving child sexual abuse material. Detectives needed to find his vehicle quickly.

Flock license plate reader cameras helped detectives identify the suspect's vehicle in the Bakersfield area, roughly 300 miles south of Yuba City. With that information, officers in Kern County had a critical lead on where to look and which vehicle may have been involved.

When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled through the Kern River Canyon toward Lake Isabella. The California Highway Patrol deployed spike strips, but the driver continued until the vehicle went off a cliff and caught fire.

Teen rescued from burning vehicle

Officers removed both the teen and the driver from the burning vehicle. Both had minor to moderate injuries, according to original reports.

Yuba City detectives arrested the suspect on suspicion of child abduction, kidnapping, and rape. He was booked into the Kern County Jail, where he also faces charges connected to the pursuit.