Man arrested in east county kidnapping charged

A criminal complaint has been filed against the 21-year-old man who allegedly kidnapped an 18-year-old girl from Wellton earlier this week, charging him with two felonies.

Efren Partida of Aztec was charged Friday morning with one count of disorderly conduct and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was originally arrested and on held on one count of kidnapping, one count of attempted unlawful flight, one count of misconduct involving weapons and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Partida was arraigned in Wellton Justice Court before Justice of the Peace Cora Romine, who reduced his bond to $36,000 from the $515,000 she had originally set. He appeared via a video feed from the Yuma County jail.

According to Wellton police, at approximately 10 a.m. Tuesday, officers received a phone call from a mother stating that her daughter had just been kidnapped from a residence in the 29200 block of San Diego Avenue and forced into a car at gunpoint.

The mother described the vehicle as a silver Grand Am with no license plate number, saying it was heading westbound toward Williams Street.

Partida's vehicle was later located on the 28700 block of Pacific Avenue pulling out of a driveway, where he was arrested at gunpoint and safely taken into custody.

After a search of his vehicle, a loaded .45-caliber handgun, a 20-inch sword and drug paraphernalia were reportedly discovered.

Partida was then transported and booked into Yuma County Adult Detention Facility.

It was later discovered the victim had escaped from the suspect's vehicle prior to Wellton police's arrival. She was later found and returned to her mother unharmed.

According to jail records, Partida has one prior arrest, in April 2010 for a liquor violation, criminal damage and disorderly conduct.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.