A Chattanooga man has been charged with kidnapping after holding a woman at gunpoint on Friday.
According to police, they responded to a call by a woman who claimed Bennie Melton, 24, had put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her.
When the police arrived at Highland Park, the woman said she used to date Melton. She was driving him somewhere when she received a text from a person listed as “Baby Daddy.” After arguing with her about the identity of this person, Melton tried to take control of the vehicle and crash it into incoming traffic.
After she arrived at Melton’s mother’s house on Grand Avenue, she dropped him off and left. The victim claimed he then called her and asked her to come back a few moments later. When she got back, he pulled a gun out and entered the vehicle.
Melton claimed he did not want to shoot her in front his mother’s house, so he told her to drive around. As they drove around, they continued to argue. After a while, the victim dropped Melton back off at the house on Grand Avenue.
The victim showed police threatening text messages from Melton, and said she said she was worried about her family’s safety.
Melton was arrested the next day, and is now in custody at the Hamilton County Jail.