Huntington Beach man arrested on suspicion of kidnapping his date

A Huntington Beach man was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping early Monday after allegedly refusing to end a date.

Ricardo Rodrigo Salas, 36, was arrested near the Aliso Creek rest area off the 5 Freeway in San Diego County just after midnight following a short pursuit, said California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Latulippe.

Salas had reportedly taken a woman, who he had known for a few weeks, on a date in Costa Mesa and when she asked to end the date, the man refused and kept driving southbound on I-5, Latulippe said. After the man stopped at a lookout point for unknown reasons, the woman was able to escape from the man’s pickup truck and borrow a truck driver’s phone to call 911.

Police from nearby Camp Pendleton responded to the lookout point as CHP officers were on an unrelated pursuit at the time, Latulippe said. Camp Pendleton police briefly pursued Salas as he reportedly drove south again before catching up to him near the rest area.

Salas was later booked into the Vista Detention Facility on suspicion of driving under the influence, kidnapping, false imprisonment and battery, according to San Diego Sheriff’s Department records. He remained in jail Tuesday in lieu of $100,000 bail pending his arraignment, scheduled for July 31.

The woman, 31, was uninjured and was released to family members at the CHP Oceanside office, Latulippe said.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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