x
Breaking News
More () »

Ohio man wanted for kidnapping woman & her five children arrested in Cheektowaga

New York State Police were alerted to be on the lookout for a white mini-van with Ohio plates heading east on I-90.

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — An Ohio woman and her five children are safe after a van driven by their alleged kidnapper was caught by New York State Police along the Thruway in Cheektowaga Easter Sunday.

Troopers had been alerted to be on the lookout for the white Chrysler mini-van with Ohio plates said to be heading east on the I-90. The male driver was reported to be involved in a kidnapping of five children and their mom from the Cleveland area.

A vehicle matching that description was pulled over on the New York State Thruway at the Cleveland Drive exit in Cheektowaga. Inside, troopers said they found the driver, William Angel, 27, of Cleveland, the five children ranging in age from six months to seven-years-old, and the children's mother.

State Police said there were no provisions for the victims in the vehicle. Several members of SP Buffalo bought diapers, food, clothing and toys for the children. EMS personnel were called to tend to injuries the woman is believed to have suffered in the initial kidnapping in Ohio, as well as to help bottle feed and care for the children while their mother was being interviewed.

Angel was wanted by Cleveland Police for six counts of kidnapping, two counts of felony assault and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

He was processed as a Fugitive from Justice and taken to the Erie County Holding Center to await extradition to Ohio.

The woman and her children remained at the barracks until a relative could travel from Cleveland to pick them up.

New York State Trooper Erik Czarnecki was one of the arresting officers. He told 2 On Your Side that he has never seen anything like this before.

"It is one of the first times I’ve experienced it in my twelve-year law enforcement career," he said.

Before You Leave, Check This Out