Dashboard camera footage released Wednesday shows State Police rescue a 3-year-old girl and arrest her father on the Garden State Parkway after he allegedly stabbed her mother in New York City and fled with the child. Watch video
CLIFTON -- Dashboard camera footage released Wednesday shows State Police rescue a 3-year-old girl and arrest her father on the Garden State Parkway after he allegedly stabbed her mother in New York City and fled with the child.
Diomedes Valenzuela, 47, a former Irvington police officer, was scheduled to appear in Passaic County Superior Court on Thursday morning for an extradition hearing, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office said.
Valenzuela attacked the 31-year-old woman in the Bronx on Tuesday afternoon and abducted their daughter, Rebecca, according to New York City authorities. He escaped in a Dodge Caravan and officials issued an Amber Alert in New Jersey and New York.
State Police were on alert for the Dodge when they spotted it on the highway in Clifton, authorities said.
"Troopers never know how a suspect will react. These types of situations are extremely dangerous and volatile," the State Police said in a statement. "It could have gone badly yesterday, but thankfully it didn't. No one was hurt, and that's the most important thing."
The patrol car video shows State Police pull Valenzuela from the van at gunpoint while other troopers rush the child to safety.
Records show Valenzuela remained held in the Passaic County Jail. Police said the girl's mother was in listed in critical condition.
An Irvington spokeswoman confirmed that Valenzuela was a township officer until March 2002. He was found guilty of filing false reports in connection with the November 2001 arrest of a taxi driver and later banned from public employment.
Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
