Oklahoma – Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Blades, #209, is being praised for his swift action in recovering two children who were the subject of an Amber Alert out of San Antonio.
On April 1, 2025, Trooper Blades responded to a broadcast from the Communications Center regarding a possible sighting of a vehicle linked to the Amber Alert.
While patrolling gas station parking lots along Interstate 35, Trooper Blades located the vehicle in question at the QuikTrip on I-35 and Hefner Road.
Although the vehicle had not yet been flagged as an active NCIC notification due to the Amber Alert having been issued just moments earlier, Blades was able to confirm the vehicle’s involvement in the case.
Upon approaching the driver, who had walked across the parking lot, Trooper Blades encountered non-compliance. The trooper detained the driver and conducted further investigation, discovering that the man had an active warrant for child molestation.
Additionally, it was revealed that the suspect had assaulted a Child Protective Services employee before fleeing the state of Texas.
During the investigation, Blades also located an AR-15 rifle and a 9mm pistol in the vehicle. The two missing children were found inside another vehicle parked nearby, which had been traveling with the suspect.
Thanks to Trooper Blades’ sharp situational awareness and investigative skills, an armed man with a violent history was taken into custody, and two young lives were likely saved. This successful recovery highlights the importance of quick, decisive action by law enforcement in ensuring the safety of vulnerable individuals.
