We have more information on a Twentynine Palms man arrested for reportedly kidnapping his wife over a week ago. On Tuesday (November 2) around 3:30 p.m., Sheriff deputies responded to a business in the 57600 block of Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley for a report of a violation of a court order. The victim texted her family members, telling them her husband, Rotanak Chhay, 23, was at the location and to call 911. Chhay had an active restraining order against him, keeping him from any contact with the victim and their child.
Before deputies arrived at the location, Chhay kidnapped the victim and drove away from the business. A report of a hit and run was broadcasted to the responding units by sheriff’s dispatch. The vehicle in the hit and run matched the description of the vehicle used in the kidnapping. Deputies responded to the area of Old Woman Springs Road and Paxton Road, in the Town of Yucca Valley, where the hit and run occurred, and located the victim on the side of the road.
Chhay fled the location leaving the victim near the intersection of Imperial Drive and Paxton Road. The victim provided deputies with a clothing description of what Chhay was wearing and the vehicle he was driving. The information was broadcasted to deputies working in the area as well as the California Highway Patrol, who assisted with the search.
Deputies located Chhay driving north on Lear Avenue from Twentynine Palms Highway, in the city of Twentynine Palms. Chhay fled from deputies at a high rate of speed and a pursuit ensued. Chhay drove the vehicle into the dirt shoulder near the intersection of Two Mile Road and Lear Avenue. The vehicle became stuck in the dirt and deputies were able to take Chhay into custody, safely and without further incident.
Rotanak Chhay was then arrested for investigation of kidnapping, violating a restraining order, misdemeanor hit and run, violation of probation, and evading, then booked into the West Valley Detention Center with his bail set at $275,000.
