SHAWNEE COUNTY— A man traveling the country to raise awareness for veteran suicide assisted Topeka Police in finding a kidnapping suspect Thursday night.
Just before 9 p.m. police were notified that a 86-year-old woman had been kidnapped in a vehicle in the 800 block of SW Harrison Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.
The witness, Darren Hafford, who’s doing pushups to combat veteran suicide, told officers that he saw a man enter the driver’s side of a vehicle. He then witnessed the woman in the passenger seat of the vehicle in distress.
The driver of the vehicle then drove away and Hafford notified police.
Officers located the vehicle, the woman and the suspect later identified as 54-year-old David Baker a short time later in the 300 block of SW 10th Avenue in Topeka.
The woman was not injured in the incident. The suspect and woman are not known to one another.
Police arrested Baker and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Kidnapping, Aggravated burglary, Theft >$1,500 <$25,000 Pocket-Picking, Driving while suspended and Assault.