A man who allegedly kidnapped his estranged wife and two sons and led police on a televised chase to Newport Beach was charged Thursday with 17 felony counts.
Thomas Ueno -- who eluded authorities at the end of the chase Monday night and was arrested the following night in Cerritos -- was ordered to be held in lieu of $3 million bail while awaiting arraignment, which was postponed at the defense's request to March 23.
Ueno, 35, is charged with three counts each of kidnapping for carjacking, false imprisonment by violence and false imprisonment of a hostage, two counts each of violation of a domestic violence court order with a prior conviction and fleeing a pursuing peace officer's motor vehicle while driving
recklessly and one count each of injuring a spouse after a prior conviction, first-degree burglary with a person present, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The criminal complaint alleges that he has five prior convictions, including two for fleeing from law enforcement officers while driving recklessly in 2003 and 2006.
Ueno allegedly led police on a chase in a Hummer that began just before
4:45 p.m. Monday.
Authorities said the Buena Park Police Department was contacted by its counterpart in Huntington Park, which feared a domestic violence situation had developed. Police said they were concerned the driver was armed.
Authorities chased the Hummer on streets and freeways, including the 5 Freeway.
Police Chases
Video from Southern California's police pursuits and follow-ups on what happened after the chase
The driver stopped at Dover Drive and 16th Street in Newport Beach, and Ueno's estranged wife and two children ran from the vehicle to nearby police officers at about 10 p.m., several hours into the standoff.
Ueno jumped out of the Hummer and fled on foot. He was arrested without incident about 7 p.m. Tuesday by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and Huntington Park police officers in the 17800 block of Kensington Avenue in Cerritos.
