Two-year-old twin girls were expected to survive following their rescue after their father drove their truck off Sunset Cliffs Saturday morning reportedly on purpose.
According to SDPD spokesman Shawn Takeuchi, the police department's communications center received information early this morning from the Sheriff’s Department regarding a suicidal 47-year-old man. Officials said the child’s mother told them that the girl's father had taken the two children and threatened to drive off the Coronado Bridge.
An emergency cell phone location was requested through the cell phone provider, which led San Diego police officers to Sunset Cliffs, Takeuchi said. At 5:09 a.m., a San Diego police lieutenant was in the Sunset Cliffs area and saw the Dodge truck. The SDPD spokesman told reporting partner 10News that as the lieutenant waited for additional units before contacting the man, the truck suddenly drive off the cliff into the ocean water..
Officials said SDPD K9 Officer Jonathan Wiese arrived and used his 100-foot long dog tether to rappel down the cliff to the truck, which was upside down in the water. Wiese was able to get the man and the two girls from the car to the shore.
The two girls were rushed to Rady Children’s hospital. Their injuries were described by authorities as non-life threatening. Police said their father was taken into custody for attempted murder and is in jail. Their identities have not yet been released.
SDPD K9 Officer Wiese is the same officer who helped capture the accused shooter at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in April of last year, Jonathan Earnest. Officer Wiese, a 20-year law enforcement veteran, was on his way to meet his family for lunch on Saturday, Apr. 27 when he heard a call of shots fired and immediately responded to the area of the synagogue.
(Photo credit reporting partner 10News)