Ohio police successfully negotiated a peaceful conclusion in the abduction of a St. Clair County woman from an East China Township home yesterday.
Following an armed 12-hour standoff with police surrounding the Findlay Ohio hotel room he had barricaded himself and the victim in, 52-year-old Gabriel Wagner, the woman’s ex partner, released her to custody at 9:00 p.m. last night before surrendering himself an hour later. Wagner was arrested on several felony warrants before being taken to Hancock County Jail. Meanwhile, his victim, 55-year-old Carol Durand, was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries and further evaluation.
At this time, St. Clair Police are conducting their investigation with Findlay Police, with Wagner possibly facing Ohio charges on top of the Michigan charges of unlawful imprisonment, assault with intent to do bodily harm less than murder and aggravated domestic violence.
The case started early yesterday morning when a 47-year-old man reported that Wagner had entered the East China Township home before severely assaulting her and the witness. Durand’s companion and the home’s owner reported that Wagner forced Durand into a black 2007 Honda Accord and fled the scene. They were later found at 10:00 a.m. in the Findlay hotel, where Ohio police officially joined the case.
