Star QB Joe Montana, Wife Thwart Would-Be Kidnapping In His Own Home

 Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana and his wife came face to face with a home intruder who was attempting to kidnap their 9-month-old grandchild, which they thwarted, law enforcement officials said on Sunday.

Montana, an NFL star who played for the San Francisco 49ers, told deputies that his grandchild was asleep on Saturday when a woman came into their Malibu home and grabbed the child, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Montana and his wife Jennifer confronted the woman, later identified as Sodsai Dalzell, 39. They tried to “de-escalate the situation,” asking her to give back their grandchild, The Associated Press reported.

“A tussle ensued and Mrs. Montana was able to safely pry the child out of the suspect’s arms,” a statement from sheriff’s department reads. No one was injured during the incident, including the 9-month-old child, the department said.

Dalzell reportedly took the child to another part of the house during the incident, TMZ reported. “Turns out L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies were on the same block on an unrelated matter. Someone inside the home flagged the deputies down, told them what happened and they found the intruder a few blocks away,” TMZ reported.

“Thank you to everyone who has reached out,” Montana wrote on Twitter. “Scary situation, but thankful that everybody is doing well. We appreciate respect for our privacy at this time.”

Dalzell fled the home but was later arrested and charged with kidnapping and burglary. The sheriff’s office declined to release any more information, saying the case was still ongoing.

Montana, 64, played 13 years of his 15-year career with the 49ers, which won four Super Bowls during the period. He retired in 1994.