Boyfriend arrested in Fort Worth kidnapping after man yelled for help from back of his van
A 29-year-old suspect is in custody after kidnapping his boyfriend in the victim’s van and speeding along I-30 to Dallas while the victim yelled for help through the back window and got other drivers’ attention, Fort Worth police said at a news conference Friday.
At 7:42 a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a disturbance at a motel near the intersection of Riverside Drive and East Lancaster Avenue just south of Interstate 30 in Fort Worth.
The caller said a man he was in a dating relationship with was acting erratically while attempting to steal his van, then the call ended, police said. Minutes later, the caller again dialed 911 to report that a struggle ensued and that the caller was now in the back of the van that had just been stolen by the suspect.
The suspect drove on several streets before getting on I-30, heading eastbound, police said. The victim was giving a Fort Worth police 911 call taker updates on their location as they traveled through the cities of Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie and Dallas, according to police.
While the van was traveling through Fort Worth, several people called in to report a white van swerving in and out of traffic while driving at a high speed. Callers also said they could see a man through the back window yelling for help and trying to get their attention, according to police. At one point, a caller said that the back door had swung open and it looked as if the victim might jump out while the suspect continued to drive dangerously.
Witnesses who called 911 helped investigators get an accurate description of the van. The Fort Worth Police Real Time Crime Center found the van through cameras that tracked its license plate, directing officers to the suspect’s location in the 3900 block of Linfield Road in Dallas.
At around 8:50 a.m., Dallas police found the van and notified Fort Worth police that the suspect was taken into custody within minutes.
Jail records identify the suspect as Takim Peden, of Fort Worth. He faces charges including aggravated kidnapping with bodily injury.
The kidnapped man, who is also a Fort Worth resident, was evaluated by medical personnel and safely transported to speak with Major Case detectives, Fort Worth police said.
“The Fort Worth Police Department would like to thank the citizens who called 911 to report seeing the kidnapped person yelling for help. It is an important to remember, ‘if you see something, say something’,” police said in a news release.
Grand Prairie Police and a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter also assisted in the investigation.
The van had some damage but it was unclear if it was involved in an accident during the chase, police said. The van had previously been reported as stolen by the same suspect.
Staff writer Emerson Clarridge contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 9, 2024 at 3:27 PM.
