A Sacramento-area man was arrested for allegedly shooting at a car driven by a father with his children on state Highway 1 north of Watsonville on Monday evening, a Santa Cruz County sheriff's spokesman said.
Steven Corey, 36, of Rancho Cordova, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a firearm, shooting at a vehicle and child cruelty, sheriff's Lt. Kelly Kent said.
Around 6:40 p.m. Monday, deputies responded to a report of a shooting in the area of Buena Vista Drive and Highway 1, Kent said.
The victim was driving a green Dodge Durango with his 11-year-old stepdaughter and 1-year-old daughter south on the freeway after a day of fishing in Aptos, according to Kent. The father noticed a driver, later identified as Corey, in a white SUV passing up other cars and aggressively driving behind him, Kent said.
The father tapped on his brakes to tell Corey to keep his distance and flipped him off, according to Kent. Corey allegedly drove up past the father, pulled out a black semi-automatic handgun and fired one shot at the Durango, Kent said.
The victim and his children were not injured, according to Kent.
The father followed Corey to Manresa State Beach off San Andreas Road and called 911, Kent said.
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Deputies found Corey at the beach's parking lot, where they learned he had his 4-year-old daughter and girlfriend inside the car during the shooting, Kent said.
The girl was placed into protective custody, according to Kent.
Corey was arrested without incident and booked into county jail on $50,000 bail, Kent said.
