Nebraska State Patrol rescues abducted child after pursuit in Custer County

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Nebraska State Patrol arrested an Ohio man following a pursuit in Custer County, while also rescuing an abducted child.

Saturday afternoon, the Patrol said they received information from the Columbus Police Department in Ohio that a suspect of a child abduction was traveling west on Interstate 80 in Nebraska.

Diego Revilla Gonzalez, 27, was spotted driving a GMC Sierra near Overton with a three-year-old child in the car, the patrol said in a press release.

Troopers tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Gonzalez refused to pull over and started to accelerate, officials said.

The Patrol said Gonzalez was passing cars on the shoulder and exceeded speeds of 100 MPH.

Out of concern for the child, troopers stopped the chase and notified other law enforcement agencies of the situation.

A short time later, Dawson County 911 received a report of Gonzalez driving north on Cozad Road into Custer County.

Gonzalez then turned westbound onto Highway 40 near Callaway, where a trooper started another pursuit.

Additional troopers set up stop sticks at the intersection of Highway 40 and Highway 47. When Gonzalez neared the intersection, he drove off the road and at a trooper, the patrol said.

Officials said the trooper was able to jump out of the way to avoid getting struck.

Gonzalez continued fleeing northbound on Highway 47 and then westbound on Highway 92, where he drove off the road, through a fence and into a field, according to the patrol.

Troopers were then able to take Gonzalez into custody without further incident.

The child was found safely in the rear seat of the pickup, according to the patrol.

Gonzalez was lodged in the Custer County Jail on suspicion of flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, child abuse, attempted assault on an officer and numerous traffic violations.

The child was medically cleared and placed in protective care pending reunification with her mother.