Kidnapping

Jenna Bordelon MEDIA DISTRICT NORTH -- A man was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of kidnapping his married girlfriend. Saloman Montejano, 34, of Sylmar was arrested Sunday after his girlfriend said he took her and her two children on a ride in his Chevy Astro Van. The woman, whose name was not released, told police Montejano said the ride would end in Las Vegas. The woman, along with her 1-year-old and 4-year-old children, was waiting at a bus stop in Sunland when Montejano picked her up, police said.

Tim Willert BURBANK -- A 39-year-old woman, arrested late Tuesday night on suspicion of felony child abduction and kidnapping, pleaded not guilty to those charges in court Thursday. Elisabeth Donnell, a onetime Burbank resident, is accused of abducting her 12-year-old daughter without her father's knowledge in September as the girl was attending her Burbank middle school, Burbank Police Det. Brian Llewellyn said. The father, whose name has not been released by police, is a Burbank resident and had full legal custody of the child when she allegedly was abducted by her birth mother, Llewellyn said.

Jenna Bordelon BURBANK -- Two men in two days were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping the women in their lives. Tibor Rudas, 45, of Burbank and a 37-year-old North Hollywood man, whose name was not released, had a few things in common. Police said both men were verbally abusive, both men took their respective girlfriends on a frightening car ride and both trips ended in violence. Police said they received a call from the sister of the woman Rudas allegedly kidnapped.

Jenna Bordelon BURBANK -- A man who was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping his girlfriend has been sent home. Saloman Montejano, 34, of Sylmar, was released Tuesday from Burbank City Jail after the city attorney's office declined to prosecute due to insufficient evidence, police said. Montejano allegedly kidnapped his married girlfriend and her two children Sunday at Earthwalk Park in the 1900 block of Grismer Avenue. The woman told police that Montejano allegedly threatened to take them to Las Vegas.

Police are investigating the attempted kidnapping of a 29-year-old Burbank man who went from sitting in his car in a Ralphs parking lot to bailing out of his abductors' sport utility vehicle. The man agreed to meet his former girlfriend early Thursday in the Ralphs parking lot at 2600 W. Victory Blvd., police said. But when she arrived and he got in her Ford Bronco, she immediately sped away. Two other men, apparently hiding in the back cargo area, tried to restrain the man but he was able to escape out a window as the SUV drove out of the lot, Police Sgt. Bill Taylor said.

BURBANK — The California Supreme Court has refused to hear the case of David Rademaker, a Burbank resident serving a life sentence for murder and kidnapping in connection with the 1992 slaying of a model, the court announced Wednesday. “This certainly wasn’t unexpected,” Rademaker’s lawyer Tracy Dressner said. “The [state Supreme Court] grants reviews in 2% of its cases.” Rademaker’s review was denied without comment from the state’s highest court, clerk Jose Perez said.

Jenna Bordelon BURBANK -- A Burbank man being held for trial on charges of kidnapping and rape has sheriff's deputies concerned there may be additional victims. Michael James Hanges, 37, is awaiting trial for allegedly raping and kidnapping a woman from Carson in August. Sheriff's officials said they have connected Hanges to the alleged kidnapping in December 1998 of a 14-year-old girl in Carson. Charges have not been filed against Hanges in that case, Carson sheriff's Det. Ronald Marquez said.

Josh Goldstein BURBANK -- The woman accused of kidnapping and beating the elderly Burbank woman who took in her alleged attacker and offered to help was to be formally charged Friday, police said. Bernadette Mitchell, 34, a transient, was arrested Wednesday after bicycle officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call about a woman drinking in public along Hollywood Boulevard, police said. The officers ran a check on Mitchell and discovered she was wanted on suspicion of kidnapping, robbing and abusing a 79-year-old Burbank woman who lives on Sarah Street.

Ben Godar A Burbank woman suspected of participating in what Burbank Police called a "reverse kidnapping," which led to a freeway chase, is being held without bail on a variety of charges. The bizarre string of events began when a 17-year-old Burbank girl ran away from home June 6 and took shelter at a residence in North Hollywood, police said. When the residents of the home became concerned that the girl would bring unwanted police attention, they asked her to leave.

Jenna Bordelon BURBANK -- A man who was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping Tuesday after police found his ex-girlfriend beaten on the side of the road has prior felony and misdemeanor convictions. James Neihart, 41, of Burbank, was arrested after his ex-girlfriend told police that Neihart had beaten her three times, once severely, and dragged her back to his mother's house Monday in the 200 block of West Linden Avenue. Neihart was arrested without incident Tuesday by members of the Burbank Police Department's Special Enforcement Detail after police evacuated his apartment building.

Los Angeles police announced an arrest Tuesday in a series of attempted kidnappings in North Hollywood. Detectives at an 11 a.m. news conference were to identify the suspect and provide information on the vehicle the person used during the attempted abductions, the L.A. Times reported. Police believe the suspect tried to kidnap women in North Hollywood and other areas. -- Joseph Serna, Los Angeles Times

A 48-year-old man who allegedly stabbed his ex-wife during a child custody exchange in Burbank on Wednesday was arrested after witnesses intervened and tied the suspect down, police said. The man - - identified by police as Trino Godinez - - was meeting the victim near San Fernando Boulevard and Buena Vista Street at about 8 a.m. to exchange their two children, said Burbank Police Officer Joshua Kendrick. Both children were in a car with their mother. During the meeting, Godinez allegedly took out a handgun and forced the woman out of the driver's seat and took control of the car. While driving away, Godinez was allegedly hitting the woman, who was in the passenger seat.

A 50-year-old Burbank woman was unharmed Tuesday afternoon after she was forced into a blue sport utility vehicle by robbers who took her home to steal her jewelry, police said. The woman told police she was walking east on Verdugo Avenue from the Buena Vista Library at about 3 p.m. to pick up a prescription when a man asking for directions forced her into the back seat of a female accomplice's SUV and demanded “her money, phone and to know where she lives, threatening to harm her,” Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.

BURBANK — The California Supreme Court has refused to hear the case of David Rademaker, a Burbank resident serving a life sentence for murder and kidnapping in connection with the 1992 slaying of a model, the court announced Wednesday. “This certainly wasn’t unexpected,” Rademaker’s lawyer Tracy Dressner said. “The [state Supreme Court] grants reviews in 2% of its cases.” Rademaker’s review was denied without comment from the state’s highest court, clerk Jose Perez said.

NORTHWEST DISTRICT ? The Burbank Police Department is searching for a man who police say impersonated a police officer in an attempt to kidnap a 15-year-old North Hollywood girl at Valley Park on Friday. A man described as between 35 and 40 years old, with short brown hair, a brown beard and brown eyes approached the girl as she was riding a scooter on a sidewalk in front of the park at about 7:30 p.m., Sgt. Kevin Grandalski said. The man reportedly flashed a gold badge, claiming to be a police officer, then asked the girl why she was not wearing a helmet.

BURBANK ? A 29-year-old Mission Hills man faces several state and federal criminal charges after allegedly kidnapping a Burbank postal carrier, forcing her into his Jeep Cherokee and leaping onto the Golden State (5) Freeway in an apparent suicide attempt, police said. Tayde Nunez, 42, was traveling her daily delivery route in the 3500 W. Clark Ave. when Ian Petersen, her former boyfriend, began physically abusing her, Burbank Police Sgt. Jay Jette said. After forcing Nunez into his SUV and driving a short distance, Petersen collided with another vehicle and pushed Nunez out of the car after a brief struggle, Jette said.

Ben Godar A Burbank woman suspected of participating in what Burbank Police called a "reverse kidnapping," which led to a freeway chase, is being held without bail on a variety of charges. The bizarre string of events began when a 17-year-old Burbank girl ran away from home June 6 and took shelter at a residence in North Hollywood, police said. When the residents of the home became concerned that the girl would bring unwanted police attention, they asked her to leave.

Police are investigating the attempted kidnapping of a 29-year-old Burbank man who went from sitting in his car in a Ralphs parking lot to bailing out of his abductors' sport utility vehicle. The man agreed to meet his former girlfriend early Thursday in the Ralphs parking lot at 2600 W. Victory Blvd., police said. But when she arrived and he got in her Ford Bronco, she immediately sped away. Two other men, apparently hiding in the back cargo area, tried to restrain the man but he was able to escape out a window as the SUV drove out of the lot, Police Sgt. Bill Taylor said.

Ryan Carter Since the abduction and death of 5-year-old Stanton girl Samantha Runnion last month and the kidnapping of two teen girls in Quartz Hill last week, Burbank Police have been inundated with requests for information about registered sex offenders living in the city. "It's unbelievable," Police Sgt. John Calicchio said. "I've been inundated." Following Samantha's death and other kidnappings and child molestations, Calicchio said he's seen Megan's Law system inquiries surge from an average of one inquiry a week to five appointments a day. With Calicchio's help, residents use a department computer that is updated monthly with data about sex offenders in the area.

Ryan Carter BURBANK -- A 22-year-old North Hollywood man was apparently kidnapped at gunpoint and forced by a gunman to drive around in two different cars for hours before being dropped off in Burbank, Police said. The gunman exited a car and confronted the 22-year-old victim, near the 2600 block of West Victory Boulevard, about 12:30 a.m. Aug. 1, Burbank Police Sgt. Bill Taylor said. The gunman forced the victim back into his car, and the two went for a eight-hour ride, said Taylor who would not disclose the locations where the two went and declined to release the specifics.