Santa Barbara traffic stop leads to arrest of Orange County man in the midst of kidnapping woman and her child

A Newport Beach man was arrested for allegedly kidnapping a woman and her infant child and driving them down the California coast last week. 

According to a release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's office, deputies stopped an recreational vehicle that was being driven near Olive Mill with one of its pop-out sections extended. They pulled the RV over at around 10:45 p.m. on Nov. 12. 

"As the deputy approached the RV, he observed an ongoing domestic dispute inside the vehicle," the release said. 

They quickly learned that the passenger of the RV, 34-year-old Newport Beach man Matthew Parsadayan, had forced a woman to drive towards Orange County. 

"Along the route from highway 154 to the location of the traffic stop, Parsadayan threatened the victim with two knives, put his arms around her neck, and fired a handgun out of the window," the release said. "The victim, in fear for her life and for her infant who was also in the vehicle, was attempting to comply with Parsadayan's commands when the RV was stopped by the deputy."

Deputies discovered a Glock pistol and a spent 9mm casing while conducting a search of the vehicle. 

Parsadayan, who was arrested without further incident, was booked for kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, child cruelty and kidnapping a child, all of which are felonies. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.