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Here's the article:
Man, beaten and bound during an alleged kidnapping, manages to escape his captors
Eric Ebert West Central Tribune
Published Tuesday, April 17, 2007
WILLMAR — At least three people are facing felony charges after an apparent drug deal gone bad led to a bizarre event where a man was kidnapped, assaulted and later escaped.
Charges of kidnapping, assault and robbery were filed against Timmothy James Hansen, Tyler Loren Curtis and Melanie Joy Danielson Monday in Kandiyohi County District Court. Curtis and Danielson each face eight felony charges.
The three allegedly conspired to lure a man to their apartment and beat him up in an effort to get to his sister, who had allegedly taken money from Hansen during a dope deal.
When the man arrived at the apartment he was knocked out, blindfolded and bound with electrical tape.
He was later driven outside of Willmar, but was able to escape when his kidnappers attempted to remove him from their vehicle.
The age of the victim was not specified in the criminal complaint.
Hansen, 20, of Cosmos was arraigned Monday on seven felony charges related to the alleged incident.
He faces four counts of kidnapping, two counts of second-degree assault and one count of conspiring to commit crimes.
Judge Kathryn N. Smith ordered unconditional bail set at $100,000, with conditional bail set at $75,000.
Arrest warrants were issued Monday for Curtis, 18, and Danielson, 19, both of Willmar. It was unclear Monday if others would be charged.
Curtis and Danielson each face three counts of kidnapping, two counts of second-degree assault and one count each of third-degree assault and first-degree robbery.
A Willmar police officer on patrol found the alleged victim around 5:25 a.m. March 21 walking along the shoulder of U.S. Highway 12.
According to the complaint, the man rushed up to the officer’s squad car and said, “somebody just assaulted me, kidnapped me and was trying trying to kill me.”
The man told the officer he had gone to Danielson’s apartment after she called him to talk how she and her friends could get repaid for money the man’s sister and boyfriend owed them.
The complaint states the man was met at the door of the apartment by Danielson and saw as many as eight individuals before being knocked out by a blunt object. The man awoke blindfolded in a chair, with his arms and wrists taped behind his back, the complaint states.
It states further that the man heard his captors argue about what to do with him. He said they took the contents of his pockets and threatened to kill him. The man also states he saw a rifle in the room and overheard his captors say his sister and her boyfriend owed Hansen $1,200 from a drug deal that went bad.
The complaint states that the man was then placed in a car and driven around from 15 to 20 minutes. He says he was able to escape from his captors as they pulled him out of the back seat.
The man informed the police that he heard a single gunshot as he fled. He said he was able to free his hands and remove his blindfold and headed for a revolving light, thought to be the Willmar Airport.
The Willmar Police Department conducted a search warrant of the apartment later that day.
Along with Curtis and Danielson, four other individuals were found in the home. Police also found a loaded .22 caliber rifle, black electrical tape and .17 ounces of methamphetamine.
Danielson told the police that Hansen had planned out the kidnapping and attacked the man when he came to the apartment. Curtis admitted to driving the car, but denied any further involvement.
The man suffered a broken nose from the assault, several cuts on his lip and cheek and severe bruising under the left eye, temple and cheek area.
Hansen is scheduled to appear in court again April 30.
smh. dudes sang like canaries.
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