Hawley Man Charged With Kidnapping, Strangulation After Alleged Incident Involving 17-Year-Old
Clay County Jail Booking Photo
CLAY COUNTY MN: An 18-year-old man is facing six criminal charges, including two felony kidnapping counts, after prosecutors allege he forced his 17-year-old girlfriend into a vehicle, drove her away from Hawley and later strangled her during an incident Wednesday in Clay County.
Preston Thomas Larson, 18, is charged with two counts of felony kidnapping to terrorize, one count of felony domestic assault by strangulation, one count of gross misdemeanor interference with an emergency call and two counts of misdemeanor domestic assault.
Each kidnapping charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $35,000 fine, or both. The strangulation charge carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, Hawley police were dispatched to Hawley High School at approximately 12:40 p.m. on Sept. 2 to investigate a reported assault and kidnapping that allegedly occurred earlier that day.
An officer spoke with a 17-year-old girl who identified Larson as her boyfriend. The girl told police she had been walking in Hawley that morning when Larson drove up in a bright blue Ford SUV and told her to get inside, according to the complaint.
The girl allegedly refused. Prosecutors say Larson then got out of the SUV, grabbed her and forced her into the vehicle against her will. The complaint states the girl fought back while attempting to get away but was unable to prevent Larson from getting her into the SUV.
Larson allegedly drove approximately 10 minutes from Hawley to Buffalo River State Park. When the vehicle stopped, the girl asked Larson to take her home, but he allegedly refused, according to the probable cause statement.
The girl then reportedly ran from the SUV. Prosecutors allege Larson grabbed her, brought her back to the vehicle against her will and drove to another nearby location.
According to the complaint, another physical struggle occurred as the girl attempted to resist Larson. During the struggle, prosecutors allege Larson placed both hands around her neck and applied pressure that impeded her normal breathing.
Police later reported observing red marks around the girl's neck that they described as consistent with strangulation.
The girl also alleged Larson took away her cellphone, preventing her from calling for help and preventing her mother from seeing her location. The complaint alleges that during the incident, Larson told the girl "to let him love her."
The girl told investigators she eventually stopped fighting and attempted to calm the situation in hopes Larson would return her to school. Larson eventually drove her back to school at approximately 10 a.m., according to the complaint.
A third-party witness also spoke with investigators and reported seeing the girl inside a bright blue vehicle. According to the complaint, the witness believed the girl appeared to be pleading for help and was concerned enough for her safety to contact police.
When officers later interviewed Larson, he allegedly acknowledged grabbing the girl and forcing her into his vehicle at Buffalo River State Park but denied forcing her into the SUV when the encounter initially began.
Larson told investigators that he and the girl had been arguing and claimed she hit him first, according to the complaint. He also allegedly acknowledged putting a hand around her neck.
Larson is charged with two felony counts of kidnapping, felony domestic assault by strangulation, gross misdemeanor interference with an emergency call and two misdemeanor domestic assault charges.
The allegations contained in the criminal complaint are accusations and have not been proven in court. Larson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.