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YPD: Man runs from stop, calls two days later to say he was kidnapped
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Most people who successfully flee from the police don’t call them back later.
But according to reports, Jeremy Potts did, saying Monday he ran from a Saturday traffic stop because he was kidnapped by two men.
Reports said police were called about 1:15 p.m. Monday by Potts from his Redondo Road home for a report that he had been kidnapped and robbed and held for two days.
As an officer was dispatched to take the call, Capt. Rod Foley also went because reports said he was working Saturday with officer Dave Wilson, and they had tried to pull over a car Potts was driving about 5:45 p.m. on the North Side because Potts has a suspended license.
Reports said Potts was able to elude officers long enough to ditch his car at the end of Florist Avenue and run away. There was a front-seat passenger, but that passenger was not charged with anything. There were no other people in the car, reports said. Police searched on foot for Potts, and he ran away and was able to elude Foley and Wilson.
When Foley went Monday with officer Rob Martini, who was dispatched to take Potts’ call, reports said he asked Potts what happened Saturday.
Reports said Potts told Foley that there were two men in the back seat of the car with guns, and they told him if he stopped for the police, they would shoot him, so that is why he did not stop.
When told that there was no one in the back seat of his car, reports said Potts told Foley that the front-seat passenger pulled a gun on him and threatened him. Foley then told Potts that the passenger did not have a gun, and when police searched his car before they had it towed, there was no gun found.
Potts was taken to the Mahoning County jail on charges of fleeing and eluding and for driving under suspension. He was later released on summons and arraigned in municipal court Tuesday. He has a court date set for Aug. 2. He is free on his recognizance.