A man from Norwich, Connecticut, is facing several charges including kidnapping after he allegedly assaulted a woman and fled the scene with her two children, according to police.
The Norwich Police Department received a call around 6:20 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, in which the caller reported that a woman was yelling for help in the area of Otis Street, according to WFSB.
Officers were able to locate the woman, who told police that Jonathan Driscoll assaulted her before he kidnapped her two children at gunpoint. She explained that Driscoll, 26, is the father of one of the children, though said has no relationship or connection with the other child.
It is not currently clear what Driscoll’s relationship status with the woman is, while the ages of the children have also not been shared.
After launching an investigation into the matter, officers determined that Driscoll was intoxicated and manic at the time of the incident. Authorities also said that he had made several threats regarding the safety of the children.
Once police located Driscoll, they attempted a motor vehicle stop and he tried to flee. Officers then opted to not pursue him. Officials finally got a hold of Driscoll by phone, who told them that he had a firearm.
Driscoll continued to negotiate with police before the children were rescued and returned to their mother. Meanwhile, Driscoll was arrested and taken into custody.
He has since been charged with kidnapping in the first degree with a firearm, reckless endangerment in the first degree, assault in the third degree, two counts of risk of injury to a minor, threatening in the second degree, breach of peace in the second degree, interfering with an officer and reckless driving.
He is currently being held on a $200,000 bond, according to online records.
It is not currently clear if Driscoll has entered a plea or retained legal representation following his latest arrest. The Norwich Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment.
Driscoll is no stranger to local law enforcement. He had two active warrants at the time of his arrest stemming from unrelated investigations, according to WFSB.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing. Police are asking that anyone with information about the incident involving Driscoll contact the Norwich Police Department Shift Commander at (860) 886-5561.
In the state of Connecticut, kidnapping in the first-degree is when someone abducts another person with the intent to compel a third person to pay, to engage in other particular conduct or to refrain from engaging in particular conduct, according to Justia U.S. Law. Additionally, it’s considered kidnapping in the first-degree when the abductor inflicts physical injury on their captives or violate them in other ways.
Kidnapping in the first-degree is a serious crime and is considered a Class A felony. Those found guilty of kidnapping in the first-degree in Connecticut can be sentenced to serve anywhere between 10 to 25 years in prison. Their sentence will be determined based on the severity of the case.
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