Richard Cheese Posted December 25, 2006 Share Posted December 25, 2006 Bad Santa! Biker charged with kidnapping girl put the booze down, Santa COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) -- A man dressed as Santa Claus lured an 8-year-old girl onto his motorcycle and drove away, and her father chased him until he pulled over and gave her back, authorities said. The man, John Michael Barton, 55, was charged with kidnapping, police said. He was being held in jail on $100,000 bond. The girl, of Augusta, Georgia, and her family stopped at a convenience store off Interstate 20 on Sunday night when they noticed Barton, dressed in a Santa Claus suit, refueling his motorcycle, police said. (Watch a father describe his family's encounter with a bad Santa) Parents told police that Barton asked the children to come over and look at a stuffed Rudolph he had in his sidecar. Then, parents saw Barton driving away with their 8-year-old girl, authorities said. The girl's father followed Barton, reaching speeds up to 80 mph and flashing his headlights repeatedly, police said. Barton eventually stopped at a parking lot and the father picked up the girl, who was not injured. Barton was arrested later Sunday when police found him hiding in a utility room at a nearby bar, authorities said. (Read the charges) Barton had been portraying Santa Claus for several weeks and had given rides to other children in the area and had posed for photographs with children by his motorcycle, Sheriff James Metts said in a release. Barton did not have an attorney at a bond hearing on Monday, said Lexington County sheriff's spokesman John Allard. A call to the Lexington County public defender's office was not immediately returned. A charge of kidnapping carries a maximum sentence of 30 years. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptorgirl Posted December 25, 2006 Share Posted December 25, 2006 Great what a perv. Couldn't have gotten my 6 yr old, he's deathly affraid of Santa, or anyone in a costume for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot bob Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 if that would have been either of my babies that mother fer would not be in jail he would be in a morge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.