On March 6, 2013 at 6:56 am the Redding Police Department responded to the 500 block of Hilltop Drive for an attempted kidnap of a 27 year old female. The 911 caller advised the two white male suspects were armed with a handgun and fled the area in a red Volkswagen Jetta.
Officers arrived on scene and contacted the victim. The victim told officers she had walked her child to the bus stop in the 500 block of Hilltop Drive. After the child had boarded the bus, the victim began walking back to her residence. While walking back to her residence a red Volkswagen Jetta pulled up next to her. A white male exited the vehicle and pointed a handgun at her. The white male ordered the victim to get into the car. The victim refused and ran toward her residence. The victim attempted to call 911 on her cell phone, but did not have reception. The red Jetta made a u-turn and drove back toward the victim. The victim began screaming and several witnesses were alerted. The suspects then fled in the vehicle.
At 7:20 am Officer Dean Adams was in the area of Dana Drive and Friendly Road and observed a red Volkswagen Jetta matching the suspect vehicle. The vehicle was stopped by Officer Adams to the rear of Office Depot on Dana Drive. Michael Anthony Carter, 21 years of Redding, was driving the vehicle and was uncooperative. Carter exited the vehicle and would not comply with officers. Carter resisted and was arrested after a brief struggle. The passenger was identified as Luke William Johnson, 26 years of Redding. A search of the vehicle revealed a billy club, drug paraphernalia, and a black tool with a laser light. Officers determined during the investigation that the black tool with the laser light was used to simulate a handgun during the attempted kidnapping. Johnson and Carter were both determined to be on felony probation for burglary.
The victim identified Luke Johnson as the suspect who pointed the suspected handgun at her and ordered her to get into the suspect vehicle.
Luke Johnson and Michael Carter were arrested and transported to the Investigations Division for interviews. During the interviews a full confession was obtained for the attempted kidnapping and several burglaries the suspects had committed earlier in the morning.
Luke Johnson was booked into the Shasta County Jail for a violation of probation and attempted kidnapping. Michael Carter was booked into the Shasta County Jail for violation of probation, attempted kidnapping, possession of a billy club, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting/ delaying a police officer.
