A 69-year-old Michigan man was kidnapped by his 17-year-old girlfriend, according to police.
The man was the victim of an attempted robbery. It was a conspiracy involving his girlfriend and two other men.
On January 2, Destiny Marie Gerwatowski came up with a plan to kidnap and rob her boyfriend. She involved two others in the plot: Alphonso Lamarr Straughter and Tajick Lewis Jackson.
It appears as though the trio simply attempted to rob the man at first.
“After they got my wallet, they were ticked off because there was only $90 in my wallet,” he said.
Then, the attack escalated from robbery to kidnapping.
“They threw me in the trunk of my car and started backing out the driveway,” he said.
The victim was able to find a lighter inside of the truck. He used that to find the emergency release.
“God finally answered a prayer about the lighter,” he said. “I flicked it on and found the inside trunk release and when I felt the car creep forward I bailed out onto the right lane on Dix Toledo.”
He emerged from the trunk and ran across the highway to a liquor store. That’s where he dialed 911.
“(Officers) eventually were able to determine who the suspects were within two days,” said Southgate Police Chief Thomas Coombs. “All people were arrested and in custody.”
Now, Gerwatowski, Straughter, and Jackson are behind bars and facing multiple charges, including armed robbery, carjacking, home invasion, and unlawful imprisonment.
All of them are looking at possible life sentences.
The 69-year-old victim said that he’s happy to be alive. He also had a message for his girlfriend who is more than 50 years his junior.
“How do you like me now?” he asked. “Because I’m not supposed to be here, and you are looking at life in prison.”
The victim is battered and bruised, but is expected to recover fully.