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Text to Putnam County 911 Dispatch alerts ISP to female held in vehicle
Putnam County 911 Dispatch received an emergency 911 text message about 10:10 a.m. Friday from a 20-year-old female reportedly held against her will by two male suspects in her car.
Local dispatcher Jason Bedwell received a text to 911 from a woman alleging to be kidnapped in vehicle traveling through Putnam County on Interstate 70.
The red 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier, owned by the victim, was westbound on I-70, reportedly en route to the St. Louis area when the text message was received in the Putnam County Dispatch Center
The female continued to exchange text messages with Putnam County Dispatch, and the information was relayed to the Indiana State Police Region III Dispatch Center.
"The text was very routine," David Costin, Putnam County 911 director, told the Banner Graphic. "She asked for help, Jason got what the problem was, where she was, what direction she was traveling and what vehicle she was in. He sent this (information) to the state police, and they got them."
At approximately 10:40, Trooper Brandon Mullen located the car westbound on I-70 near the 12-mile marker in Vigo County. Seconds later, State Police Lt. Mark Tow and Trooper Ted Robertson assisted Mullen in stopping the vehicle.
Both men in the car were taken into custody without incident.
The female, meanwhile, was assisted from the vehicle, found unharmed, but was described by authorities as somewhat distraught.
"Her cell phone battery died at the end," Costin continued, "so we were left hanging but apparently we got everything that was needed to get the job done.
"From our end," the 911 director added, "there was nothing more to it."
However, the incident was a good example of new technology at work, Costin said.
"If there is anything here, it is the technology worked and was ridiculously easy to use," he added.
"The state provided this to us with little cost (some Internet firewall set-up). In these circumstances where someone can text 911 in a furtive fashion is probably the best selling point for this technology."
State Police said preliminary investigation revealed the driver and boyfriend of the female, LaDonte Hatchett, 21, Indianapolis, reportedly refused the woman's multiple requests to not take her to St. Louis and would not release her from the vehicle.
The suspect reportedly refused all requests from the female and continued to drive west on I-70.
Hatchett was arrested on preliminary charges of criminal confinement, unauthorized control of a vehicle, possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine and DUI refusal.
The female victim and a male passenger were subsequently released separately from the scene.
Trooper Ian Portteus and his K-9 partner "Czar" arrived on the scene to assist with the drug-sniffing dog locating approximately one gram of suspected marijuana and one gram of suspected cocaine inside the vehicle.
Czar and Portteus had just graduated from the ISP K-9 Academy on Thursday. Approximately 24 hours after graduation, Czar was in the field locating suspected illegal drugs.
Assisting were multiple troopers from the Putnamville Post, as well as personnel from the Vigo County Prosecutor's Office, Vigo County Sheriff's Office, Terre Haute Police Department and West Terre Haute Police Department.