An Idaho man abducted his ex-wife in Garden City. He was just sentenced
A 61-year-old man who kidnapped his ex-wife in Garden City was sentenced to up to 40 years in prison this week and will serve at least 15 years before being eligible for parole.
Daniel Aitchison, 61, of Garden Valley, pleaded guilty to second-degree kidnapping, first-degree stalking and burglary. The Ada County Prosecutor’s Office said Aitchison grabbed his ex-wife from a parking lot in July and forced her to drive around with him for nearly five hours, threatening to kill her.
Two charges, one for enhanced use of a deadly weapon and one for unlawful possession of a firearm, were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the woman was seen on surveillance footage on July 22 getting out of her vehicle. Aitchison was seen emerging from a nearby bush and grabbing his ex-wife.
In her statements to police, the woman said her ex-husband pointed a gun at her while forcing her back into her car. Aitchison denied having a firearm, the prosecutor’s office stated.
Aitchison told her to drive to her home and threatened to kill her there, according to the affidavit. He then forced her to drive for nearly five hours to various other locations. At one point, he told her to drive to Las Vegas so they could “get married again,” the prosecutor’s office said.
The woman ultimately convinced Aitchison to hand over the gun, and she drove him back to the original scene of the kidnapping, where Aitchison’s vehicle was parked, according to the affidavit.
When he got out of her car, the woman went into a nearby business and had the employees call 911, authorities said.
Aitchison fled in his vehicle, and was later found attempting to leave the state in his brother’s vehicle. He was arrested on July 24 by the Meridian Police Department.
According to the prosecutor’s office, Atchison was under the influence of methamphetamine during the incident.
“This was an extremely dangerous and prolonged abduction that could have ended in tragedy,” Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said in a press release. “The victim’s resolve and quick thinking saved her life.”
The victim said she was relieved by the lengthy prison sentence, the prosecutor’s office said. The court issued a 40-year no-contact order in addition to the prison sentence.
