Good Samaritan tells police he got kidnapped trying to help woman he thought was in distress

A good Samaritan who told police he was just trying to help a woman they thought was in distress ended up getting a lot more than he bargained for.

In fact, he ended up getting kidnapped in his own truck.

The incident happened Friday, April 1 around 2:00 a.m. in Arlington.

The victim told police the kidnappers dropped him off behind the Metro Inn on Golfair Boulevard.

Before the kidnappers left, they emptied the victim’s pockets smashing both of his mobile phones, and also punched him.

It wasn’t until he got to the area of 1040 Golfair Boulevard, near the Raceway gas station, that the victim found an off-duty Jacksonville sheriff’s officer who was able to help.

The series of unfortunate events began early Friday morning.

According to the JSO Arrest and Booking Report, the victim was leaving The Boathouse Apartments on Century 21 Drive.

He was traveling on Ivey Road toward Southside Boulevard when he heard a woman screaming for help on the side of the road.

Police have identified her as Christina Sprague.

When the victim stopped, that’s when the trouble began.

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According to the report, two men came out of the bushes with a gun.

Police say the name of one of the assailants is Joshuan Stripling. The victim said Stripling was the driver during the incident.

According to one of the reports, Stripling then told him to get into the back of his own pickup truck.

Action News Jax spoke to one of the neighbors who live in the community where this happened. She requested that she not be identified.

“The neighborhood is quiet. It’s all older people, it’s families.”

Not too long after the incident, police were able to identify the stolen truck on MLK Jr. Parkway, going south.

“It makes me want to re-evaluate it and look at every scenario before you actually stop.,” the neighbor said.

JSO officers followed the suspects and were finally able to bring the truck to a stop at the intersection of Dyal and Franklin streets after using a PIT maneuver.

Tonight, Sprague and Stripling remain behind bars and are facing a number of charges, including but not limited to kidnapping and attempting to elude law enforcement.

According to the reports, Action News Jax read, “multiple” people fled on foot once JSO was able to stop the vehicle.

Action News Jax reached out to JSO to learn if any other individuals related to this incident have been arrested, with no comment as of yet.

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