Authorities continued a search in the Bay Area Friday for a wanted Lemoore man who allegedly stabbed his wife and abducted their two children late Thursday night. The children, however, and the vehicle he used to leave Kings County were recovered Friday in Alameda County, resulting in the cancellation of a statewide Amber Alert.

"They were safe," Lisa Rocha, a Lemoore police spokeswoman, said Friday afternoon of the children of Jose Barraza Orellana, 36.

Orellana's wife, Roxana Arevalo, was transported to Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center and initially was in critical condition, but her condition was upgraded to fair as of Friday afternoon.

The suspect, Jose Barraza Orellana, 36, fled with his two children, Eduardo Orellana, 7, and Julisa Orellana, 3, after stabbing their mother multiple times at their north Lemoore home Thursday shortly before midnight. After Orellana left with the children, a statewide Amber Alert was issued by authorities.

Orellana's Toyota Tacoma truck was found Friday afternoon parked in front of a house at Ash Street and Foothill Boulevard near Hayward, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Authorities have solid information that the suspect is somewhere in the Bay Area, the Chronicle reported.

Orellana remained at large as of late Friday afternoon.

He is wanted on suspicion of attempted homicide, aggravated mayhem and kidnapping. He is described as a Hispanic man, 5' 9" tall and weighing 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He is still considered to be armed and dangerous, despite the recovery of the children.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2423.

(Oct. 11, 2008)