( CNN ) -- Accolades for the good Samaritan who rescued an abducted girl continued to roll in Thursday as California Gov . Arnold Schwarzenegger called Victor Perez a `` true action hero . '' The city of Fresno proclaimed the day `` Victor Perez Day '' and sponsored the visit from Schwarzenegger , who said the abduction of the girl , 8 , `` had a great and heroic end . '' Early Tuesday , Perez , 29 , chased after a vehicle carrying the girl , who had been sexually assaulted hours earlier . `` Thank you for stepping in and never even thinking twice , '' Mayor Ashley Swearengin told Perez , a father of two boys . Perez has been on a whirlwind of more than a dozen television appearances . Wednesday he had the opportunity to meet with the girl 's mother . `` I never thought there would be someone with such a big heart to rescue my daughter and risk your life , '' CNN affiliate KFSN quoted her as saying . An unemployed construction carpenter , Perez has been recently cutting wine grapes , earning minimum wage . The governor called for an employer to hire him . Perez said he is happy the girl and mother are back together . Around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday , Perez was outside his house talking with his cousin about the abduction when they saw a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle 's description : an older-model , reddish-brown Chevrolet with a white stripe on the side . `` I thought , that could be the truck , '' Perez told CNN . That 's when he sprang into action . He jumped into his 1988 white Ford pickup and followed the vehicle , cutting in four times before he eventually forced it to a stop . Immediately after the truck stopped , he saw that the girl was out . Perez said he believes the driver pushed her out . `` I was beyond scared , '' he said . The chase had taken him about a mile from his house and into another neighborhood . He yelled for residents to get the girl a blanket . About 40 minutes later , police caught up with the truck , then parked , and arrested Gregorio Gonzalez , 24 , of Fresno . Charges against him will include kidnapping , false imprisonment and sexual assault , Police Chief Jerry Dyer said . The suspect was not armed .
California governor honors Victor Perez . The Associated Press contributed to this report. Perez has been hailed as hero since Tuesday 's incident .