On Friday, the man who intentionally drove off Sunset Cliffs with his two young daughters after kidnapping them pleaded guilty to a number of charges.
On June 13, 2020, authorities arrested Robert Brians, aged 47, after rescuing him and his twin 2-year-old daughters who were in the car with him.
The man who allegedly abducted his two young daughters and intentionally drove off Sunset Cliffs entered a plea of not guilty on Monday to various charges, including attempted murder and kidnapping. This was reported by NBC 7’s Lauren Cononado.
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Brians has agreed to a plea deal with the prosecutors that entails him serving a 31-year sentence. The expected date of his sentencing is scheduled for September 20th.
On Friday, NBC 7 was informed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s office that Brians had admitted guilt to a comprehensive range of charges. These include two instances of attempted murder, two cases of kidnapping, one count of child abuse, one count of burglary, and one count of domestic violence.
During the trial, Detective Aletha Lennier of the San Diego police department revealed that just three minutes before driving off the cliff, Brians had posted a message on Facebook that included the unsettling phrase, “Tonight, I’m sending my babies to Heaven.”
According to the testimony of SDPD Lt. David Bautista, the defendant was seen driving through Point Loma and even threatened to drive off Coronado Bay Bridge. Later, around 5 a.m., Bautista spotted the truck on Hill Street, close to Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. As soon as the defendant noticed the officers, he accelerated the truck and drove towards the westbound direction. The vehicle eventually went over the cliff and landed upside down in the water.
According to the police, he fell off Sunset Cliffs near Hill Street.
As the emergency call came in, 22-year veteran of the SDPD, Jonathan Wiese, rushed to the scene with his loyal canine partner. Upon arriving, he found Brians’ overturned pickup in the water. Without hesitation, Wiese grabbed his trusty 100-foot leash, wrapped it around his chest, and rappelled down the steep cliff, with fellow officers holding the other end. As he made his way down, he saw the father struggling to keep his two daughters afloat in the water. With his quick thinking and bravery, Wiese was able to assist the family in their time of need.
During the testimony, Wiese shared that he had discovered Brian in the water, holding both girls in his arms. As Wiese approached, he noticed that one of the girls was crying and clutching onto Brian’s neck while the other appeared to be unresponsive. Wiese also recounted that Brians was expressing frustration towards both the girls’ mother and his ex-wife.
According to the officer, he assisted in bringing Brian to safety by swimming behind him and guiding him towards the shore. Wiese’s bravery did not go unnoticed, as he was awarded the esteemed National Carnegie Medal for his heroic actions. Additionally, the city of San Diego declared an official ‘Jonathan Wiese Day’ in recognition of his selfless act of heroism.
