Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 13, 1995 TAG: 9510130078
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
John David Ford pleaded innocent at his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court on fugitive charges.
Judge Patricia Bernstein ordered Ford held on $500,000 cash bail and sent him to Bridgewater State Hospital for evaluation. Ford is due back in court Nov. 1 for a status hearing.
Meanwhile, Virginia authorities are preparing extradition papers for Ford on a charge of stealing property from a person, said Virginia State Police Sgt. Bob Stout.
Boston police arrested Ford Tuesday night, after they found him asleep in a car parked in an alley near a homeless shelter.
During a search of the car, a Boston police officer found a loaded .22-caliber handgun under the driver's seat.
The car later was identified as belonging to the woman who was abducted Saturday afternoon from Towers Shopping Center.
About 1:30 p.m. Saturday, a man forced the woman into her car, told her to lie on the floor and drove her to Amherst County. Once there, he tied her hands and left her in a wooded area. He fled in her car. She freed herself and walked to safety along a nearby road.
Stout said a special grand jury will be called in Amherst County next week to decide whether to indict Ford on abduction and related charges.
There also are unserved warrants against Ford in Lynchburg, according to police. Lynchburg police investigators would not say how many warrants they have issued against Ford or what the charges were.
- Staff and wire reports
by CNB