Text messages received by the St. Joseph County Dispatch Center resulted in a rescue and arrest in LaPorte County on Wednesday morning.
The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department says in a press release they were alerted around 9:00 a.m. that a kidnapping victim was texting St. Joseph County dispatch. Details were provided that the victim was allegedly being held at gunpoint. A vehicle description was obtained during the exchanges as well as a direction of travel.
LaPorte County deputies were able to locate a suspect vehicle near the intersection of U.S. 20 and State Road 39. The car was followed for a period while officers awaited backup assistance. Once the vehicle had reached the intersection of U.S. 20 and U.S. 35, a felony traffic stop was conducted.
Authorities say the victim was safely removed from the suspect car. The alleged perpetrator was taken into custody during the stop. Investigators from the South Bend Police Department traveled to LaPorte County to gather information and conduct interviews as the lead agency in the case.
The suspect has since been transferred to the custody of South Bend Police. Formal charges are pending in the case. The names of those involved have not been released.
