Largo Man Arrested In Kidnapping Of 2-Year-Old

LARGO, FL – Pinellas County Sheriff’s detectives have arrested a Largo man in connection with the kidnapping of his ex-girlfriend’s 2-year-old child (see related story).

At 10:04 p.m. Sunday, June 10, deputies were called to the home of 26-year-old Jasmine Golden at 13051 125th St. N. in unincorporated Largo for a domestic dispute.

When deputies arrived, Golden told them her ex-boyfriend, 27-year-old Johnny Wise of 2891 Adrian Ave., Largo, became angry after they argued and broke several windows in her home, threatened to shoot her and then kidnapped her 2-year-old son, Christopher Matthews.

Wise fled the residence with the toddler in a 1997 Buick LeSabre.

Detectives say Jasmine Golden's stepfather, 59-year-old Raymond Golden, witnessed the altercation and followed Wise to the intersection of 6th Street Southwest and 4th Avenue Southwest in his 2007 Nissan Frontier truck.

When Golden pulled up behind Wise in his truck, Wise reportedly placed the Buick in reverse and accelerated at a high rate of speed, intentionally crashing into Golden's truck.

The crash caused significant damage to the truck but Golden was uninjured.

After ramming the truck, Wise fled and then and bailed out of the car with the child near the intersection of West Bay Drive and Ridge Road Southwest.

Deputies from the K-9 and flight units responded and tried tracking Wise with no success.

While eluding deputies, Wise made contact with a family member of the child and safely released the boy uninjured into their custody.

At 9:34 p.m. Thursday, June 14, detectives located and arrested Wise near a residence at 1327 Williams Drive, Largo.

Wise was transported to the Pinellas County Jail and charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of attempted felony murder, one count of criminal mischief, three counts of violation of probation- sale of cocaine, three counts of violation of probation- aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of violation of probation- possession of cocaine with intent to sell.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff