A Lincoln County man is in jail, accused of kidnapping and several other charges.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, on December 2 at 3:40 a.m. an adult female called the Lincoln County 911 Center to advise she was abducted earlier in the evening at gunpoint and was now free.
Deputies responded to the female’s location and spoke with her. The female alleged her ex-boyfriend forty-four-year old Robert Smith hid in the back seat of her car while she was at a friend’s house. When the female got into her car Smith pulled a gun on her and told her to drive out to rural Lincoln County.
Mr. Smith eventually took the female out of Lincoln County for a couple of hours and then returned her back to his vehicle, which was parked near a friend's house.
LCSO says the female victim was treated at Great Plains Health for non-life threating injuries.
At around 9:30 a.m. a warrant for Smith’s arrest was issued for Kidnapping and Use of a Firearm to Commit a Felony.
LCSO says Smith’s vehicle was found empty in Hayes Center by the Nebraska State Patrol.
According to LCSO, Smith was contacted via phone and eventually captured in Hayes Center by troopers at around 2:50 p.m.
Smith was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.
LCSO says the investigation in this matter is ongoing and additional charges are pending.
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From the Nebraska State Patrol
Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) have brought a standoff of more than six hours to a safe conclusion in Hayes Center.
The situation began this morning when the Hayes County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible kidnapping that had occurred in Lincoln County during the evening hours of Tuesday, December 1. The suspect was believed to be in Hayes Center. NSP was notified just after 6:00 a.m. today and troopers proceeded to the area to assist.
Prior to NSP’s involvement, the victim was safely located, but the suspect, identified as Robert Smith, 44, of Hershey, Nebraska, remained at large. Just after 8:00 a.m., troopers identified the suspect’s believed location to be 315 Hayes Avenue in Hayes Center. The suspect was believed to be armed.
NSP SWAT was activated and responded to the scene. Authorities coordinated with Hayes Center Public Schools to ensure that those at the school were safe, given the location of the situation, approximately three blocks from the school.
After repeated communication with NSP negotiators for hours, Smith voluntarily exited the home at 2:45 p.m. and was taken into custody without incident. Smith was arrested for kidnapping and use of a weapon to commit a felony. He was lodged in Lincoln County Jail.