A 25-year-old man accused of child abuse was arrested last week following a pursuit that began in Seal Beach and ended with a crash in Los Alamitos, according to authorities.
Seal Beach police were called around 3:37 p.m. to the area of Heather Street and Guava Avenue on Thursday, June 22, after someone requested a welfare check for a young child that was found in the area without any parents or guardians nearby, authorities said.
There, officers located the child, who had visible injuries to the face and body, and requested paramedics, according to the Seal Beach Police Department.
While the paramedics treated the child, officers observed the alleged abuser, identified by police as Cody Rohlfing of Seal Beach, driving in the neighborhood, according to the SBPD.
Officers attempted to stop Rohlfing, but he fled, leading authorities on a pursuit through Garden Grove before he drove onto the northbound 405 Freeway, police said.
Seal Beach officers eventually ended their pursuit after they lost sight of Rohlfing and couldn’t determine whether he stayed on the 405 Freeway or drove onto the 605 Freeway, police said.
About three minutes later, Rohlfing allegedly crashed into another vehicle while driving in Los Alamitos and then fled the scene on foot, police said.
Rohlfing was eventually tracked down by authorities and transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, police said. After being medically cleared, he was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of child abuse, resisting arrest, evading police, and hit-and-run resulting in injuries, police said.
The driver of the vehicle Rohlfing crashed into was also taken to a local hospital after complaining of pain, police said, though the status of their injuries was not known.
Police say Rohlfing is not related to the child but lives with the child’s mother at their home in Seal Beach. The child has since been treated at the hospital and Child Protective Services was contacted, police said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
SWAT team takes 2 men into custody after hours-long standoff near Downtown, police say