A man who kidnapped his two young daughters and intentionally drive off Sunset Cliffs pleaded guilty Friday to a long list of charges.
Robert Brians, 47, was arrested June 13, 2020, after he and his twin 2-year-old daughters in the vehicle with him were rescued.
According to the terms of a plea deal agreed to by Brians and prosecutors, he is expected to be on Sept. 20 to a 31-year sentence.
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The San Diego County District Attorney's office told NBC 7 on Friday that Brians pleaded guilty to a long list of charges, including two counts of attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping, as well as single counts of child abuse, burglary and domestic violence.
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At about 4:30 a.m. the morning of the incident, the girls’ mother called authorities to report Brians took their daughters and threatened to drive his vehicle off a cliff with them inside.
At a 2021 preliminary hearing, she testified that after Brians took the children, she exchanged several text messages with him as she tried to ascertain their whereabouts. She testified Brians repeatedly sent messages indicating that he was planning to drive off a cliff in his truck while his girls were inside. One message he sent her read, "The girls are going to Heaven and I'm going to Hell to wait for you.''
San Diego police Detective Aletha Lennier testified that three minutes prior to driving off the cliff, Brians made a Facebook post that read in part, "Tonight, I'm sending my babies to Heaven.''
The defendant also threatened to drive off Coronado Bay Bridge but was spotted by officers traveling through Point Loma. Around 5 a.m., SDPD Lt. David Bautista spotted the truck on Hill Street, near Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, where he testified the truck sped off westbound and went careening over the side of the cliff, landing upside down in the water.
just before he plunged off Sunset Cliffs near Hill Street, police said.
Moments later, a canine officer also responding to the emergency, 22-year SDPD veteran Jonathan Wiese arrived in the area. Reaching the scene of the crash and seeing Brians' pickup upside down in the water, Wiese grabbed a 100-foot leash he uses for his service dog, wrapped it around his chest, gave the other end to fellow officers and rappelled down the precipice. Once he was down in the water, Wiese spotted the father holding his two daughters in the water, struggling to tread the waters.
Wiese, testified that he found Brians floating in the water and holding both girls in his arms. One of the girls was crying and holding onto Brians' neck, while the other was limp and seemingly lifeless, according to Wiese, who also testified that Brians was making angry statements about the girls' mother and an ex-wife.
The officer said he helped propel Brians to shore by swimming behind him and pushing him through the water. Wiese's rescue efforts earned him a National Carnegie Medal, which recognizes acts of heroism, and the declaration
of an official Jonathan Wiese Day' in the city of San Diego.
Brians and the girls were hospitalized. Lennier testified that both girls sustained numerous injuries including abrasions and lacerations, though one of the girls was much more seriously hurt, sustaining a brain bleed and
compression fractures to her vertebrae.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
