A 67-year-old Vernon man faces seven new charges in Marion County Court including aggravated attempted kidnapping and child abduction following a series of incidents on Thursday.
Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies say Ronnie Crawford of Burks Road is accused of holding his arms out and attempting to lure a three-year-old child to his vehicle from the front yard of a home in the 7500 block of Farthing Road in Kinmundy. The investigation indicates the child had gone to the front of the home to get additional toys. The mother screamed at the man when she saw what was happening and he fled from the area in his vehicle. The child apparently was never touched.
The sheriff’s department later tried to stop the vehicle on the Burks Road near the address that Crawford listed as his home. He pulled into the driveway where he was arrested on the attempted aggravated kidnapping and child abduction charges as well as driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, unlawful possession of adult-use cannabis in a vehicle, and illegal transportation of liquor. Crawford also faces a new charge of violation of an order of protection because the driveway where he stopped was the protected residence of his wife.
Bond for Crawford was set at $75,000 during his first appearance in court on Friday. He was also ordered to undergo a fitness evaluation due to a question about his ability to stand trial. The fitness issue is expected to be addressed at a September 6th hearing.
