PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - A man accused of kidnapping his infant son in a custodial dispute that led to the death of the boy’s mother in a Phoenix suburb told police he intentionally hit the woman with a stolen van, authorities said Thursday.
A judge on Thursday ordered Eric Maes, 30, to remain jailed in lieu of $2 million bail on suspicion of premeditated first-degree murder, kidnapping in apprehension of injury, endangerment and theft of means of transportation.
Maes was arrested Wednesday in Phoenix after he tried to run from officers, police said.
The 10-month-old boy was found in good health, but police said his 30-year-old mother, Brittany Martie of Phoenix, died from injuries suffered Tuesday after her van was driven off with her son inside in Peoria.
Police initially said while Maes was still at large that Martie was injured after she grabbed and held onto the van.
However, a police probable-cause statement released Thursday said Maes was interviewed by police Wednesday evening and admitted stealing the van and fighting with the boy and Martie inside the vehicle.
Maes said Martie jumped out of the moving van and that he turned it around and intentionally struck Martie as she stood on a sidewalk, the statement said.
The van was stolen from outside a home where Maes’ adult sister had been babysitting the boy, the statement said.
Police said a person called 911 and reported hearing a woman yelling “stop, stop, help, help” from inside the van and, after the van did a U-turn. The caller walked down the street and “found a woman wrapped around a fire hydrant,” police said.
Possible blood and possible handprints were found on the front of the van after it was discovered abandoned early Wednesday, the statement said.
Sgt. Amanda Gaines, a Peoria police spokeswoman, said investigators are looking for any possible video of the confrontation between Maes and Martie and any witnesses.
“We’re hoping some people may have seen it,” Gaines told reporters Thursday. “We’re looking for all the information we can get. He’s now behind bars and we’re going to continue the investigation.”
The boy was found early Wednesday at a Phoenix home where a resident answered a knock on the door early Wednesday and called 911 after finding the infant.
Police initially said Maes lived in Sun City but the probable-cause statement made public Thursday said he was a transient.
The statement also said Maes said told police he was a methamphetamine user and had smoked it earlier in the week.
Court records did not list an attorney for Maes who could comment on his behalf. The records said one would be appointed for him.
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