Idaho Teen Escapes From Abduction

(AP) ^

[Dallas]

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho --

A man suspected of abducting a 14-year-old girl was shot to death during a chase into the mountains after the teen-ager escaped.

Authorities also are investigating whether the man, Keith Glenn Hescock, was involved in the unsolved disappearance last September of another young woman from the area.

The rural Idaho Falls-area teen-ager was abducted early Wednesday while she slept outside with her sister. She escaped from Hescock's nearby house a few hours later after her abductor left for work, Bonneville County Sheriff Byron Stommel said.

"It's just amazing she was able to free herself and get out of this predicament," Stommel said. "If you had a chance to interview her, you'd be overcome with emotion about what a nice, sweet girl she is."

The girl's parents had called police Wednesday morning. While officers were at the home, the call came in that she was safe. The girl's name was not released.

Deputies and a SWAT team were waiting outside Hescock's home in the afternoon when he arrived home from work. Hescock, a 42-year-old tool salesman, sped away in a truck and into the mountains of southeastern Idaho.

Deputies chased him until the truck became stuck where a road had been closed, Madison County Sheriff Roy Klingler said. Investigators have not detailed how the chase ended, but one sheriff's deputy was shot in the leg, and Hescock and a police dog were killed.

Stommel knew when the police chase began that it could turn deadly and had a hospital put an emergency helicopter on standby.

"I knew he had firearms, lots of them," Stommel said. "It was my fear this would be a shootout."

Authorities also planned to search Hescock's home for any evidence that could link him to another disappearance from Idaho Falls. Amber Hoopes, 20, was last seen Sept. 14. A pickup truck owned by her grandparents was stolen around the same time she disappeared but was found a few blocks away the following day.

Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press

[Slicksadick]

Alls well that ends well.

[Pete]

Alls well that ends well.

Too bad about the dog, though.

[Dallas]

We can only hope for the same in the Utah case.....

[Orual]

The Idaho criminal defense attorneys must be in deep depression over the missed opportunity to plead their case for this creep before the media hounds. (Huge smile.)

[Slicksadick]

Yeah, sounds like he got his truck a bit dirty as well.

[dighton]

Great news, except for the wounded deputy (get well soon) and dead police dog.

[kcvl]

Three other men were sentenced in December by Lemhi County Magistrate Fred Snook for poaching elk in the Salmon Region. Two of the men already had their licenses revoked two weeks before for the same reason! The three, Keith Hescock and Dennis Christensen, both of Idaho Falls, and Duane Christensen from Garland, Utah, were sentenced to: hunting licenses revoked for six years, 90 days in jail, suspended pending further violations, and total fines of $16,257.

[Destructor]

"A man suspected of abducting a 14-year-old girl was shot to death during a chase into the mountains after the teen-ager escaped."

I love a happy ending!

[Joe Brower]

Good news BUMP.

[Francohio]

Who gets the truck, and the house? Now, you need a lawyer!

Wounded deputy sues estate. Sheriff sues for loss of dog, costs of impounding truck. Hope there's something left for the victim ... pain and suffering.

Defense attorney gets no action, but his partners do! Plain case of police brutality. Was a counselor on hand or did these peace offers immediately escalate to violence?

Get me Rodney King's attorney. Call the NAACP, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and let's get that riot scheduled ... (oops, forgot this is Idaho)

[jlogajan]

Actually, I can't believe they didn't get the drop on him right at home. Glad they finally got him, but he should have been dropped the second he flinched when he showed up at home.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Personally, I would have ordered all the police ans SWAT cars to be moved far, far away and then I would have taken him down as soon as he entered the house.

[Faeroe]

There was a brief article in the MPLS paper about the abduction of this girl today. The abduction was chilling in its utter directness - the guy appears to have entered the house while all were there and sleeping. I am very relieved to see that the poor girl is alive. The world is a little bit better now than it was before.

[Mr. Lucky]

Umm, at that point, the police were acting only upon uncorroborated statements made by a young girl. They did exactly the right thing by putting the suspect in a position where he could react to the police presence without harming any bystanders.

[monkeyshine]

Bump!

[Inge_CAV]

"and Duane Christensen from Garland, Utah,"

Is this anywhere near where the Utah girl was kidnapped?

[alisasny]

This is what should happen to all the child abducters..no mercy whatsoever, no cushy time in jail awaiting trial...no blaming the victim...

That dog is a hero and I am sorry he lost his life due to this loser and thank god the girl was able to escape.

[remaininlight]

A twofer. Scum get's expedited trip to hell and the county taxpayers save money and aggravation.

[IYAS9YAS]

Yes, Garland, UT is only 75 miles north of SLC on I-15. Idaho Falls, ID is roughly 140 miles north of Garland, UT on I-15 (215 miles north of SLC). These places and coincidental natures (14 year old Idaho girl abducted versus the 14 (I think) year old in UT early Wednesday...only a couple of hours down the road even at the speed limit of 75. I wonder if he has clothes and or features to match the description of the Utah girl's abductor. Same deal, same night 175 miles apart...