3 charged for allegedly assaulting, holding man captive

By Ashley Paul, Adam Thompson

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    HARFORD COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — Three people in Harford Country have been charged for allegedly kidnapping a man and holding him captive in a garage for nearly 24 hours.

Chris Cochran, 48, is charged with kidnapping, assault, and false imprisonment after police say he brought his sister’s boyfriend to his home on Conowingo Road in Darlington to help install a car radio.

Grace Johnson, 38, and Leland Lewis, 48, are also facing charges for allegedly failing to render aid or call the police.

The alleged kidnapping, assault

Police responded around 8:20 a.m. on March 10 to the area of 4200 Conowingo Road in Darlington for a report of a male with his hands bound behind his back running down the middle of the road trying to get help, according to police.

The victim told police that Cochran tied his hands behind his back, and he was then tied to a rafter in the garage with his feet barely touching the ground, according to the police report.

Charging documents show Cochran allegedly tied the victim’s mouth shut with an oily rag and beat him repeatedly. The victim was taken to Shock Trauma with a possible broken hand and eye socket and various lacerations.

The victim escaped after Lewis fell asleep while he was supposed to keep watch, according to police.

“I initially rolled up on it because I had to park my truck across the road because the police officers had everything lined up and I couldn’t get into the house,” a neighbor told WJZ.

Through an investigation, police identified Cochran, Johnson, and Lewis as suspects.

A neighbor reacts

A Harford County neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified, said the events that happened the 24 hours leading up to the police response were baffling.

“I think it’s crazy that they’re kidnapping people,” the neighbor said. “I never would have expected a neighbor to do that. The morning, I think of the 10th, they left the garage and no one was in there, so he escaped.”

The neighbor told WJZ he had seen the suspects but had never spoken to them.

“The older dude, I know he’s over here a lot but I don’t think he lives here. I know the woman lives here,” the neighbor said.

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