Vermont State Police arrested a man and a woman Friday after a kidnapping victim escaped by driving away in a vehicle with her hands bound and face partially covered by duct tape.
Authorities launched the investigation on Thursday after the St. Johnsbury Police Department, St. Johnsbury Fire Department, and the Calex ambulance service responded to reports of a woman driving a vehicle with her hands bound and face partly concealed by a bag and duct tape, according to a police report.
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First responders freed the woman, whose identity has not been released, and she was interviewed before being transported to receive medical care.
The woman informed police she had been kidnapped earlier that day on the side of a road before being forcibly restrained and bound, police said.
"The victim was driven in the Peacham and Danville area and restrained for several hours, while her life was threatened," police report read. "At one point the victim was left alone in the truck, enabling her to break free enough to drive away in the truck and escape. The victim then drove herself to Bay Street in St. Johnsbury Village."
The investigation led to the arrest of Mack Varnum and Nichole Cloutier through further investigation and evidence collected from the vehicle, police said.
"[Detectives] and Field Force troopers located Varnum and Cloutier at Varnum’s residence and arrested them without incident," according to the release. "Varnum and Cloutier were lodged at the Northeast [Regional] Correctional Center, held without bail."
The pair are facing charges of attempted first-degree murder, kidnapping, unlawful restraint in the first degree, and aggravated domestic assault in the first degree, state police said.
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"During the arrest of Cloutier and Varnum, Janita Ledoux, 35, also was located at the residence," police added. "Ledoux was arrested on an outstanding warrant violation of conditions of release unrelated to this case."