Hikers foil kidnap attempt, hogtie kidnapper

[vamelungeon]

Sheriff says the criminal was lucky...
http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News....php?id=100221

[Tipi Walter]

Good story. I have a friend who lives in Roan Mt, the town, and we talk about the long standing animosity of the locals against the trail and the hikers. Has something to do with the guvmint taking their land for the trail, etc.

[Tennessee Viking]

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News....php?id=100221

Police: Hikers hogtie man who attempted to take them hostage

Published May 10, 2012
By Brad Hicks - Erwin Bureau Chief


ERWIN — Unicoi County Sheriff Mike Hensley said the outcome of arrest could have been much worse for a Roan Mountain man taken into custody earlier this week after he allegedly picked the wrong group of hikers to attempt to take hostage.
Marcus F. Birchfield, 40, 962 Hampton Creek Road, Roan Mountain, was arrested by the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Department and charged with four counts of aggravated kidnapping, impersonating a police officer, going armed, possession of a schedule II drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.
It was a little before midnight Monday when Hensley said Unicoi County 911 received a call stating an individual was holding several hikers hostage at the Beauty Spot lookout on Unaka Mountain. Hensley, who took the call, said the caller stated the man had approached the group of five hikers with a handgun drawn, told them that he was a game warden, and ordered them to get down on their hands and knees. The 911 call, Hensley said, came from one of the hikers allegedly being taken hostage.
Hensley said he immediately notified UCSD Chief Deputy Frank Rogers and U.S. Forest Service Agent Kim Coleman of the situation. An officer was dispatched to the Red Fork Falls entrance, which is the entrance to the Beauty Spot lookout in the Limestone Cove area, to seal off the road there. Hensley said he then “raced” to the top of Indian Grave Gap, which is at the North Carolina border up Rock Creek Road, to block the road there and await the arrival of other officers.
As officers ascended the mountain and headed to the scene, Hensley said another 911 came in. In this one, the caller advised that the hikers, two of whom were U.S. Coast Guard officers, had gotten the opportunity to get Birchfield’s gun away from him and subdue him, Hensley said.
Hensley said the hikers had already hogtied Birchfield with parachute rope by the time officers arrived at the scene.
“So when they got the chance, they sucker punched him, knocked him down, and were able to subdue him and tied him up,” Hensley said.
Unicoi County officials took Birchfield into custody early Tuesday morning. Hensley said Birchfield had the “strong odor of intoxicant about his person” when officers arrived at the scene. He was found also to be in possession of a bottle containing oxycodone and a sniffing straw, according to the arrest report. Hensley also said the 9 mm handgun in Birchfield’s possession was fully loaded.
Hensley said the Coast Guard officers were aware Birchfield was not a law enforcement official as he possessed no credentials. He also said the group of hikers all gave the same account of the incident.
“They all gave the same story that he came down in a truck, got out waving a handgun, told them that he was a game warden, and for them to get down on their hands and knees,” Hensley said. “He actually searched them, he asked them if they were partying, if they had drugs. He was wanting to party and have some drugs.”
Other than a couple of minor traffic violations, Hensley said Birchfield had no prior criminal record. According to the arrest report, Birchfield admitted pointing a gun at the campers and identifying himself as a game warden.
“He’s very lucky that one of the hikers didn’t kill him, and if we had pulled up there on the scene and he would have been holding all these guys at gunpoint, we could have been forced to have to do something,” Hensley said. “But luckily it all worked out. It was a good ending. Nobody got hurt.”
Birchfield was arraigned Wednesday in Unicoi County Sessions Court and was released from jail after posting a $75,000 corporate bond. He is scheduled to again appear in Sessions Court next Thursday.



Read more: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News...#ixzz1uZIRoDVi

[HikerMom58]

I'm glad that ended well for the hikers.... thanks for sharing!!

[Gray Blazer]

Wow! That's one of my favorite car camping places.

[ATMountainTime]

Thats AWESOME! hopefully they stole the food in his cooler too!

[Ender]

Good for them, and lucky no one got hurt! Sounds like the kidnapper was a bit out of his head on drugs.

[Cadenza]

I just love a story with a happy ending.

[Samson]

My favourite part is the part where this happened on monday, and he was released on bond on wednesday......

[Cookerhiker]

Glad to see that all's well that ends well.

My favourite part is the part where this happened on monday, and he was released on bond on wednesday......

How did a dude like this come up with $75 K bond? What's a "corporate" bond? I guess JP Morgan was making the "investment."

[[email protected]]

I met the two excoast guard guys in Roan Mnt. last night at the hostel. I didn't hear the story until this morning and they have already left. Some people here talked with townies and said that the (alleged) assailant was a normal guy before the drugs.

The lesson seems to be reinforcing the point that one should try not to camp too close to a road.

[Samson]

The interwebs say that this type of corporate bond is a bond that goes through a bail bond company. I had no idea. And it doesn't say whether that $75k was the 10% or the full amount of the bail.

[Spirit Walker]

Good story!

[Rasty]

Great that no one was hurt. Also adds one more use for para cord.

[Slo-go'en]

The lesson seems to be reinforcing the point that one should try not to camp too close to a road.

Until you walk down the north side of Beauty spot, you might not realize there is a road almost to the top.

What I find interesting is the incident happened around midnight, which rises some questions. 1, what was this dude doing driving up there that late at night for in the first place and 2, what were these guys doing still up that late? I would have to assume they were still sitting around a campfire. So, could this incident have been avoided if they were all a sleep in thier tents?

[Gray Blazer]

Glad to see that all's well that ends well.



How did a dude like this come up with $75 K bond? What's a "corporate" bond? I guess JP Morgan was making the "investment."

With the money he stole from Roadside at Burningtown Gap (or was that Irish Blastard?).

[Hoop]

I hope they gave the Oxy's time to wear off before they released him. That's one happy mug shot.

[WingedMonkey]

Same place where a visiting policeman was murdered and his wife assaulted in 1967. The killer was just denied parole this past January.

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News...e.php?id=97680

[dmax]

Home sweet home ...

[Feral Bill]

Tied him up with paracord. Good thing they weren't carrying masons twine to save a couple of ounces. And Coasties can tie knots, even officers!