Authorities say a Largo man kidnapped his girlfriend’s toddler and crashed into her stepfather’s truck when he tried to get away.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, a woman called 911 to report her boyfriend, 27-year-old Johnny Wise had threatened to kill her 2-year-old son after smashing several windows during the argument. Then he took the boy and left their home in his car, the woman claimed.
Detectives say the woman’s stepfather witnessed the alleged abduction and began to follow Wise in his truck. When Wise noticed what was happening, he threw his car in reverse and slammed into the man’s truck, leaving the truck with significant damage, but the man was not hurt.
A Pinellas County K9 Unit and Flight Unit were dispatched to the scene to track down Wise, but he was able to avoid capture.
Wise eventually released the child to a family member. The toddler was not injured.
Wise was later located at a residence in the 1300 block of Williams Drive in Largo.
He was arrested and booked into the Pinellas County Jail where he faces one count of Kidnapping, One count of Attempted Felony Murder, one count of Criminal Mischief, three counts of Violation of Probation- Sale of Cocaine, three counts of Violation of Probation- Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon and one count of Violation of Probation- Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell.
