A man in jail for probation violation stemming from a previous charge of kidnapping his wife and one of her former husbands escaped and tried to kidnap the pair again, sheriff's officials said.
Thomas Patrick Todd escaped from a Bryan County Jail work detail Sunday and came to Bulloch County to kidnap his wife and one of her ex-husbands, said Bulloch County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Gene McDaniel.
Somehow he procured a sawed-off shotgun and a knife, which he used during the crime, he said.
According to reports, the reason Todd was incarcerated at the Bryan County Jail was because he violated felony probation. He was on probation for the previous kidnapping charge by possessing a firearm - the reason he was incarcerated in the Bryan County Jail.
Todd, 56, was arrested Friday morning at the victim's Pope Road home off Ga. 119, he said.
Todd knew his estranged wife's ex-husband took her to work every morning, and planned to ride along with his victim and "surprise her," McDaniel said. Apparently, "he planned to kidnap them both again and do who knows what."
But the victim, who was not named, sent a text message to his ex-wife, who is legally married to Todd, informing her of the situation, he said.
Todd's wife, who also was not named, notified the Bryan County Sheriff's Department, which in turn "provided information that (Todd) was holding someone hostage at a mobile home in Bulloch County," McDaniel said.
So, when Todd and his hostage left the home around 7 a.m. Friday, Bulloch County Sheriff's Emergency Response Team members were waiting.
Deputies and other investigators set up surveillance around the victim's home soon after receiving information of the hostage situation, he said. However, they decided to wait until Todd and the victim left the home voluntarily Friday morning on their way to pick up Todd's wife to take her to work, he said.
When law enforcement officers confronted Todd, he "put down the gun and laid down on the ground" and surrendered peacefully, he said.
No one was injured in the incident, he said.
Todd was charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, burglary, possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, and theft by taking a firearm.
McDaniel said Todd's wife was delivered to a convenience store near the victim's home by her boyfriend, where she met yet another former husband, who comforted her during the ordeal.
"She was a target .. and about to have to go through the same thing (being kidnapped by Todd a second time) again."
Todd faces additional charges from the Bryan County Sheriff's Department, including escape.
He is being held without bond at the Bulloch County Jail, McDaniel said.
According to information from the Bryan County News, Todd escaped from a general housekeeping work detail at the Bryan County Jail around 10 p.m. Sunday, and was gone 10 minutes before jailers realized he escaped.
Thomas Patrick Todd escaped from a Bryan County Jail work detail Sunday and came to Bulloch County to kidnap his wife and one of her ex-husbands, said Bulloch County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Gene McDaniel.
Somehow he procured a sawed-off shotgun and a knife, which he used during the crime, he said.
According to reports, the reason Todd was incarcerated at the Bryan County Jail was because he violated felony probation. He was on probation for the previous kidnapping charge by possessing a firearm - the reason he was incarcerated in the Bryan County Jail.
Todd, 56, was arrested Friday morning at the victim's Pope Road home off Ga. 119, he said.
Todd knew his estranged wife's ex-husband took her to work every morning, and planned to ride along with his victim and "surprise her," McDaniel said. Apparently, "he planned to kidnap them both again and do who knows what."
But the victim, who was not named, sent a text message to his ex-wife, who is legally married to Todd, informing her of the situation, he said.
Todd's wife, who also was not named, notified the Bryan County Sheriff's Department, which in turn "provided information that (Todd) was holding someone hostage at a mobile home in Bulloch County," McDaniel said.
So, when Todd and his hostage left the home around 7 a.m. Friday, Bulloch County Sheriff's Emergency Response Team members were waiting.
Deputies and other investigators set up surveillance around the victim's home soon after receiving information of the hostage situation, he said. However, they decided to wait until Todd and the victim left the home voluntarily Friday morning on their way to pick up Todd's wife to take her to work, he said.
When law enforcement officers confronted Todd, he "put down the gun and laid down on the ground" and surrendered peacefully, he said.
No one was injured in the incident, he said.
Todd was charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, burglary, possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, and theft by taking a firearm.
McDaniel said Todd's wife was delivered to a convenience store near the victim's home by her boyfriend, where she met yet another former husband, who comforted her during the ordeal.
"She was a target .. and about to have to go through the same thing (being kidnapped by Todd a second time) again."
Todd faces additional charges from the Bryan County Sheriff's Department, including escape.
He is being held without bond at the Bulloch County Jail, McDaniel said.
According to information from the Bryan County News, Todd escaped from a general housekeeping work detail at the Bryan County Jail around 10 p.m. Sunday, and was gone 10 minutes before jailers realized he escaped.