Published on Friday, February 2, 2007
in the Chipley Bugle

Reported Child Abductor Apprehended by FHP

The Florida Highway Patrol received information Friday morning that a suspect had reportedly battered his girlfriend and fled with their child in an attempt to reach Texas. After receiving the BOLO and being informed that they were traveling through the Tallahassee area from Hillsborough County, several Leon County troopers converged on SR-8 to search for the vehicle.

Within minutes, Sergeant Steve Gaskins located the vehicle and performed a traffic stop at the westbound 195 milepost. Trooper Ryan Shaw and Lieutenant John Bagnardi arrived within moments and helped to apprehend the suspect and take the child into protective custody.

James T. Davis, age 33, of Ruskin, was taken to the Leon County Jail and charged with child neglect, interference with child custody, and domestic battery.

The unharmed one-month old infant, Jacob Davis, was kept in protective custody until his mother, Celia Guerra, arrived from Hillsborough County later in the day.