Manhunt Continues For Sex Offender After RV Chase, Kidnapping

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA – A manhunt continued Wednesday for an "armed and dangerous" suspect who led authorities on a chase from Los Angeles to Bakersfield in a motorhome with his two children inside the vehicle.

Stephen Houk, a 46-year-old registered sex offender from Oregon, was wanted out of Santa Clarita for various crimes, including child abduction, assault with a deadly weapon, and making terrorist threats, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff's Lt. Eddie Hernandez said Houk and his wife repeatedly got into arguments and he threatened her on multiple occasions, forcing her to panhandle outside a Starbucks store at Bouquet Canyon and Newhall Ranch roads in the Santa Clarita area.

On Tuesday, the fighting escalated.

"That argument escalated to the point where he stops at the Best Buy, points a gun at her, tells her to get out of the motorhome and threatens to harm their 3-year-old," Hernandez said.

Police spotted the motorhome in the Los Angeles area, prompting the chase.

"At that time we knew the suspect was armed," Hernandez said. "We knew he had his 3-year-old in the vehicle, and his 11-month-old daughter."

The chase ended about 6 p.m. Tuesday in an orchard at Merced Avenue and Zerker Road in Bakersfield, where he managed to elude California Highway Patrol, Kern County Sheriff's and Bakersfield Police Department personnel, who conducted an "extensive" search of the orchard before giving up about 11 p.m.

"The children kidnapped by suspect Stephen Houk were located unharmed inside the pursuit vehicle shortly after the pursuit came to an end," according to a sheriff's statement. "Both children have since been reunited with their mother."

A dog that was seen in video footage during the pursuit was also located safe inside the RV.

The Sheriff's Major Crimes Bureau began the pursuit about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles, with the California Highway Patrol taking over the chase when the motorhome entered the northbound Golden State (5) Freeway, through the Newhall Pass and into Santa Clarita and north of Castaic.

The suspect then headed on state Route 99 into Kern County and traveled on surface streets in Bakersfield.
Authorities circulated a photo of Houk, who is described as a white, 5 feet 11 inches tall and 190 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He has a cow skull tattoo on his right forearm.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts was urged to call the sheriff's Santa Clarita Station at (661) 255-1121, or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS. Anyone who believes they spot Houk should dial 911.

---------------

PREVIOUS: WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 11:25 a.m.

An "armed and dangerous" sex offender from Oregon, who led law enforcement on a wild chase from Los Angeles to Bakersfield in a motorhome, remained at large Wednesday, while his two children who were inside the vehicle were reunited with their mother, according to sheriff's officials.

A dog that was seen in video footage of the chase also was found safe inside the RV, said Sheriff's Deputy Tina Schrader.

Forty-six-year-old Stephen Houk, a registered sex offender, on Tuesday led California Highway Patrol through the San Fernando Valley to Kern County on a chase that ended in an almond orchard after he ditched the vehicle and fled on foot, authorities said.

Police surrounded the motorhome but after an hours-long search, Houk was not found and authorities ended their search late Tuesday night.

Houk is believed to be armed and dangerous and is wanted for evading, child abduction, child endangerment and weapons violations, said Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

His two children, ages 3 years old and 11 months, appeared to have no physical injuries when found and were medically cleared before being reunited with their mother, said Officer Robert Rodriguez of the CHP's Bakersfield office.

Houk was wanted on suspicion of domestic violence stemming from an incident in Santa Clarita Tuesday morning when police attempted to pull him over. Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies attempted to chase the suspect Tuesday morning, but disengaged, according to Los Angeles Police Officer Mike Lopez.

"Later on they found out that he is a wanted parolee at large, possibly armed with his two children. That's when he became a kidnapping suspect," Lopez said. "Sheriff's were able to find the vehicle in the Wilshire area.

Los Angeles Police officers attempted to stop the suspect at about 2:33 p.m. near San Vicente Boulevard, but he fled, leading officers through Hollywood and onto the 101 Freeway and eventually to the Golden State (5) Freeway.

In the Bakersfield area, the pursuit continued on several roads throughout the city before ending in the orchard off Merced Avenue east of SR-99, the CHP said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and law enforcement in Bakersfield will continue their search for Houk using any leads or tips from the public on his whereabouts, authorities said.

Two reports of possible sightings in the Bakersfield area were called in by citizens, but the individuals were not Houk, Rodriguez said.

Houk is described as white with a beard and glasses. He has a tattoo of a cow skull and horns on his left arm, is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, 170 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes, according to officials.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts can call the CHP at (661) 396-6600, the sheriff's Santa Clarita Station at (661) 255-1121, or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS, officials said, adding that anyone who believes they spot Houk should dial 911.

• PREVIOUS: Sex Offender And Kidnapping Suspect Leads Police On RV Chase

-- Paige Austin, Patch, and City News Service contributed to this story/Images via CHP