Man arrested on kidnap charge after truck stolen with 3 kids inside

MORGAN HILL, Calif. - A 24-year-old man was arrested for kidnapping, vehicle theft and other charges Monday night after a pickup truck was stolen with three children inside, Morgan Hill police said.

The stolen pickup was reported stolen about 6:30 p.m. at the Walgreens store at 745 East Dunne Ave., where the owner said he had parked and left it running with his three children, ages 13, 9 and 8, inside. 

The man returned and saw the pickup leaving the store lot on East Dunne toward northbound U.S. Highway 101.

Morgan Hill police issued a countywide alert and not much later, San Jose police reported the children had been located unharmed near Hellyer Park in San Jose by a FedEx driver who called police.

"Investigators later learned the suspect dropped the children off and fled the area in the stolen truck," police said.

The children and parents were reunited at the Morgan Hill police station.

While investigators developed suspect information from video surveillance, they learned the California Highway Patrol was responding to state Highway 101 south of Coyote Creek Drive, where a truck matching the description of the stolen vehicle had left the roadway and rolled several times.

CHP and Menlo Park officers located the stolen truck and arrested 24-year-old Caleb Holderfield, who was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the crash.

When Holderfield is discharged from the hospital he will be booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of kidnapping and child endangerment, vehicle theft, driving while under the influence and driving while suspended.