Sylmar Man Charged With Murder in Death of Daughter, 4, in Auto Chase

A Sylmar man who allegedly followed his ex-wife in a fit of jealousy on Valentine’s Day has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his 4-year-old daughter during the resulting high-speed chase along a winding Canyon Country road.

The girl, Amy Odell of Acton, was killed instantly when the car in which she and her mother, Brigette Odell, 26, were passengers plunged 200 feet over an embankment into the Santa Clara River, the California Highway Patrol said.

The girl’s father, Michael Lloyd Ward, 30, who is scheduled to be arraigned today in Newhall Municipal Court, allegedly chased the car at speeds of up to 90 m.p.h. after arguing with Bryan Strauss, 27, a friend of his ex-wife. The pursuit began when Strauss and Odell fled the woman’s Soledad Canyon home after Ward assaulted them with a metal pipe, CHP officers said.

Ward rammed Strauss’ car as it rounded a curve, causing it to hit a guard rail and tumble over an embankment, CHP Officer Ralph Elvira said. Amy was ejected from the rear window and fell into the dry riverbed, he said.

Her mother and Strauss, who both suffered facial injuries, were able to climb up the embankment to safety, Elvira said.

Earlier that evening, Ward allegedly had hidden in one of the bedrooms at his ex-wife’s house, waiting for her to return home. When she and Strauss entered the house, Ward attacked them with the pipe, Elvira said.

After an investigation of nearly a month, CHP officers Friday arrested Ward at the Sun Valley trucking firm where he works as a mechanic, Elvira said. Ward is being held at the Foothill Division Jail on $100,000 bail, Deputy Dist. Atty. James A. Baker said.

Ward is charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon in addition to the murder count, which was filed Friday.

Baker said second-degree murder charges were filed because Ward knew his actions could “cause great bodily harm or death.”