Calif. man charged with grabbing baby daughter, tossing her 20 feet onto highway

Calif. man charged with tossing baby onto highway

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A California man will stand trial on charges that he pulled his infant daughter out of his car and threw her more than 20 feet into the lanes of a highway.

Prosecutors say the girl’s mother quickly retrieved the 9-month-old off the road on April 1, but the girl suffered cuts to her mouth, stomach, sides and legs.

A Santa Cruz County judge ordered a trial Monday for 23-year-old Erik Johnston on charges including domestic battery, child endangerment and false imprisonment.

Prosecutors say the man was driving when he became angry, pulled over, grabbed his daughter by the arm and threw her.

A person who partially saw the incident called the sheriff’s office.

A call to Johnston’s public defender, Allen Cave, was not immediately returned.