A former Ohio school superintendent is accused of kidnapping two children in West Virginia, police said.
William J. Morrison III, 59, of Huntington, was arrested Thursday and charged with two felony counts of kidnapping, authorities said.
About a week earlier, Huntington police officials had asked the public to help them find a man who lured a 9-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl into his dark Subaru Forester.
Morrison enticed the kids by offering them $20 to babysit, police said. He drove a bit and then asked the boy to inspect a tire, and when the boy got out, Morrison drove off with the girl, police said.
"The man ignored the girl’s demands to be let out of the vehicle, but the girl was able to open a passenger door and exit the vehicle a few blocks away," police said. Neither child was injured.
Morrison was superintendent of the Hamilton Local School District in 2017 when he was arrested on drug charges, according to NBC affiliate WCMH of Columbus. Police found a crack pipe and a suspected crack rock in his car, the station reported, citing court documents. Morrison pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge and was fired, according to The Associated Press.
He is being held without bond at the Western Regional Jail in connection with the latest incident, the AP reported. It's unclear whether he has an attorney.
