Officers say Manuel Perez's actions almost cost his little girl her life.
The driver of a Ford pickup slammed on his brakes and barely missed the child.
Police say Perez has had domestic problems with his wife in recent days.
The latest issues began over the weekend when police say he held a loaded gun to her head, and then beat her up.
For six hours Wednesday, officers surrounded his apartment while he was barricaded inside with his wife and kids.
Finally, he came out, casually pushing his daughter in a stroller when officers spotted him and closed in.
Larry Bowlan with the Fresno Police Department said, "This subject in his cowardice act actually started to run across Butler in a northbound direction while pushing his three-year-old daughter. And pushed her out in front of traffic letting go of the stroller as a large pickup was coming westbound and had to lock up its brakes and came within 3 to 5 feet of running over the child."
During a search of the apartment, officers found a loaded sawed off shotgun and 19 rounds of ammunition. Police say the suspect hid it in a wall.
The woman and her children are in protective custody. The suspect is in jail, facing nine felony charges.
