A woman has been found safe and her alleged abductor arrested after a kidnapping in San Jose over the weekend.
According to San Jose police, officers responded to the 3100 block of Sierra Road at about 9:20 a.m. on a report of a disturbance involving two men, one of whom was armed with a knife. Upon arrival, they located a 46-year-old man who reported being assaulted by 38-year-old Vincent Esparza Padilla.
Further investigation revealed that Padilla had allegedly kidnapped his 34-year-old ex-girlfriend from the 5800 block of McGilvra Court just over two hours prior. Police say Padilla assaulted the woman, forced her into a car and sped away.
Police learned that the victim was being held against her will as Padilla drove them through San Jose and Milpitas. She eventually managed to get away by jumping out of the moving car and calling a male friend for help.
The friend picked the victim up at Yosemite Drive and Dempsey Road in Milpitas, but Padilla managed to locate the pair on Sierra Road where he reportedly assaulted the friend with a knife. The victim and her friend managed to jump into his car for safety. Padilla then used the victim’s car to ram into the vehicle in which the victim and her friend were sitting in a reported attempt to prevent them from escaping, according to a press release issued by San Jose PD.
The disturbance was reported to police, but Padilla managed to flee the scene in the victim’s car prior to the officers’ arrival.
Officials say Milpitas police officers located the victim’s vehicle abandoned in Cardoza Park. A search of the park by Milpitas police was successful and Padilla was arrested without incident.
Padilla was released to the custody of the San Jose Police Department and booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, and domestic violence battery.
The victim sustained minor, non-life-threatening injuries that did not require medical attention. The victim's male friend was not injured.
The case remains under investigation and no further details are being released.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact San Jose Police Department, Robbery Investigations Unit, at (408) 277-4166. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-7867.
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