A Methuen man was arraigned on a kidnapping charge today after the mother of his child made a frantic call to police saying that he would not let her out of his car, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

KENNETH TOZIER, Jr. (D.O.B. 4/29/87) was arraigned in South Boston District Court, where Assistant District Attorney Katherine Powell recommended that he be held on the $100,000 cash bail imposed after his weekend arrest and be ordered to stay away from the victim and her child while the case is pending; Judge Michael Bolden set bail at $750, but imposed the stay-away order.

Massachusetts State Police received a cellular 911 call from the victim, a 34-year-old Lawrence woman, just before 5:30 yesterday evening. The woman stated that she had been kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend, the father of her child.

During a brief conversation with State troopers, the woman stated that she wasn’t sure exactly where she was but that she was travelling in the man’s blue Audi somewhere on Route 93 in the area of Boston or Quincy. Among other things, she stated that they had travelled from Lawrence, that the man wouldn’t let her out of the car, and that she needed help.

State Police broadcast a description of Tozier’s car and the circumstances to all units and surrounding law enforcement agencies. Moments later, another State trooper spotted the car on Route 93 heading northbound and stopped it at Exit 20 just north of Columbia Road.

The trooper ordered Tozier, who was in the driver’s seat, out of the car and spoke to the victim, who acknowledged calling 911. The woman stated that Tozier was “driving like a maniac” and had reached speeds approaching 120 miles per hour. The woman said she and Tozier had argued about their relationship after shopping for clothes for their young child and that she’d had asked him to take her home to Lawrence several times. Tozier had refused, she said.

“I was scared of what was going to happen to me, and after I got disconnected you guys were right behind us, thank God,” she said.

Tozier, in his statement to the trooper, allegedly said he “lost it” during the argument.
Conley praised the woman for her presence of mind in remaining calm enough to call 911 despite her fear and State Police for their ability to locate the car so quickly based on the victim’s observations of signs and landmarks.

Conley urged the victims of any crime, including domestic violence, to call 911 in an emergency. Victims of intimate partner violence – or friends and relatives who care for them – can also call SafeLink, the statewide domestic violence hotline, at 877-785-2020.
“These aren’t crimes of love or passion,” Conley said. “They’re crimes of control and domination.”

Tozier was represented by attorney Helene Tomlinson. He will return to court on March 9.