Police say father used headlock to prevent possible kidnapping of his children

LA GRANGE, Ky. (WAVE) - A man told police he used a wrestling move to keep another man from taking his vehicle with his children inside.

Just after Noon Saturday, Oldham County police were called to the area of KY 146 and Interstate 71 about a traffic collision. While officers were still heading to the scene they were told one of the persons involved was leaving on foot and had stolen another vehicle.

The driver who remained at the scene told officers a man, later identified as Jarmaine Thornton, 36, of Bedford, Ind., ran the light while exiting from I-71. Thornton’s vehicle hit the man’s car on the rear of the driver’s site.

After the driver of the vehicle that was struck got out to make sure everyone was okay, the arrest report says Thornton told the man “someone was after him,” and tried to take the other man’s vehicle by force. That led to the man putting Thornton into “kind of a headlock” because the man said his children were in the car. Thornton walked of along KY 146 after a witness tried to intervene.

Police say the vehicle Thornton had been driving was stolen in St. Matthews.

A short time later, a man moving grass at a dental office on KY 146 saw the truck and trailer he had parked in the office lot backing away. Although the lawn care worker tried to get into the vehicle, he was unsuccessful in stopping the theft. Oldham County police said Thornton used the stolen truck to led officers on a chase through Oldham and Henry counties. Oldham County police managed to deflate one of the truck’s tires, but Thornton didn’t stop. He was finally arrested by Kentucky State Police troopers in Henry County.

Thornton is being held in the Oldham County Detention Center on charges of attempted robbery, attempted kidnapping of a minor, fleeing police, assault of a police officer, theft by unlawful taking of an auto, wanton endangerment, criminal mischief, and receiving stolen property over $10,000. He is facing additional charges in Henry County.

The assault of a police officer charge happened when an Oldham County officer tried to use his patrol car to stop the fleeing Thornton. The officer suffered injuries to his arm and the patrol car was heavily damaged.

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