Only in Mount "Pleasant"
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MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) — A Mount Pleasant man accused of kidnapping a child told police he hid behind a bush and waited for a group of juveniles riding bicycles before tackling them to the ground, according to an incident report filed by local authorities.
Chad Robert Larsen, 50, was arrested Monday, June 1, and charged with kidnapping, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and third-degree assault and battery following an incident in a residential neighborhood, according to a Mount Pleasant Police Department report.
Police were dispatched to Planters Curve after receiving reports of a disturbance involving several children on bicycles and an adult male. A caller reported that a child was being held on the ground and could be heard in the background saying he was being choked, according to the report.
When officers arrived, they said they observed Larsen inside his home holding a child. Police entered the residence, removed Larsen from the child, and took him into custody. The child then left the house and joined friends gathered outside, the report states.
According to the report, Larsen told investigators that he had become frustrated after weeks of alleged "ding-dong ditch" pranks by neighborhood children. He said he previously tried to locate the juveniles but was unsuccessful. On the day of the incident, Larsen said he believed the children had returned to his neighborhood and began taunting him.
Larsen told police that after seeing the children ride away, he crossed the street, concealed himself behind a bush in a neighbor's yard and waited for them to return. When the juveniles rode close enough, he said he tackled them off their bicycle and onto the side of the road near his home. Two children were on the bicycle at the time, according to the report.
Police said Larsen admitted he initially held one juvenile by the ankle before the child escaped. He then grabbed another juvenile by the neck and arm and dragged the child into his house because he feared the child's friends might intervene, according to the report.
The report states Larsen told officers he forced the child into the residence by pulling him by the neck and arm area. He also acknowledged at one point holding a rock while restraining the child, though he told investigators he did not remember where he obtained the rock.
Witnesses told police they saw Larsen drag a child into the home and attempted to convince him to release the juvenile. Another witness reported observing the entire incident, according to investigators.
Larsen continued speaking with officers after his arrest and later requested an attorney while being transported to jail, the report states.