Troopers locate kidnapped child in felony traffic stop
Mar. 20—A Georgia man was apprehended and an alleged kidnapping victim was found after state police at Hazleton stopped a vehicle along a stretch of Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County early Thursday morning.
Troopers said they were asked to be on the lookout for a silver Nissan Altima with New York registration, driven by Jeremy L. Flowers, 33, Austell, Georgia. Flowers was wanted by Cortland city police in New York for kidnapping.
He was traveling with a missing/endangered 18-month-old passenger and troopers were told he potentially armed himself with a knife, according to information from officers.
Troopers Michael Kishbach and Richard Williams spotted the vehicle just before 4 a.m. as it was driven on I-81 south at mile marker 140, which is a few miles south of Hazleton and took Flowers into custody during a traffic stop in Kline Twp., without incident.
Luzerne County Children and Youth took temporary custody of the 1 1/2 -year-old and returned her to her mother.
Flowers was held at the barracks and charged as a fugitive from justice based on the New York warrant, according to police.
Court records show he was denied bail by Magisterial District Judge Brian J. Tupper, Trucksville.
— Amanda Christman
Contact the writer: achristman@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3584
