Video shows suspects beat victim with tire iron before east Columbus kidnapping
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Three men have been arrested in connection to a reported kidnapping that took place Sunday evening in east Columbus.
According to court records, a Columbus police officer contacted the Special Investigations Bureau on reports of a kidnapping at the Refugee Express convenience store on Refugee Road in the Eastland area.
Video surveillance at the store showed footage from the incident in which at approximately 4:58 p.m., a man can be seen running towards the front door of the market, while being pursued by a white Chevrolet pickup truck. The victim entered the market and tried to physically hold the doors shut.
Two men exited the pickup truck and allegedly forced their way into the store, chased after the victim into the southwest rear corner and struck him several times with a tire iron. Police said the men then kicked the victim multiple times, drug him out the front door and threw him into the bed of the pickup truck.
As the truck pulled away the two men reportedly struck the victim again with a tire iron. A third suspect could be seen in the driver’s seat.
The suspects were identified as Jeremiah Jefferson and Curtis Watson as the two men in the store, and Michael Campbell as the driver. Police traced the vehicle to the owner, who lived on Laurel Boat Lane in Canal Winchester, seven miles southeast of the market.
Police said the owner said the three suspects asked to borrow the pickup truck and left the residence. With the assistance of OnStar technology, police tracked the vehicle to a home 25 miles north of Canal Winchester, on Maple Canyon Drive, in the Forest Park East neighborhood of Columbus.
A Columbus Police SWAT unit waited for the suspects to arrive at the Maple Canyon Drive residence, and after a brief foot chase, arrested all three at 10:15 p.m.
All three suspects are charged with one count each of kidnapping and felonious assault. A Franklin County Municipal Court judge issued bonds in the amount of $750,000 apiece and ordered preliminary hearings to take place on Jan. 23.