Local

84-year-old kidnapping victim suffers 'extreme' injuries, family asks for prayers

A retired Navy chief and church deacon, Louis Reese, 84, has been treated in the intensive care unit at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville for more than 24 hours after he was kidnapped out of his home and injured during a carjacking.

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A neighbor told Action News Jax he saw Reese's assailant running through yards in their Atlantic Beach neighborhood Wednesday.

MORE: Timeline of events from robbery, kidnapping, auto theft that left two Jacksonville officers injured

“I saw the suspect jump over the fence,” Nneighbor Frank Arguilla said. “I came back down, nothing else was going on until the cops came and the helicopter and I waved to the helicopter the suspect was in this house over here.”

Another neighbor said she came face-to-face with the assailant in her backyard. A man who lives across the street from her said the assailant tried breaking into his house as well and was able to chase him off.
 
"So I came back out front because I wasn't going to stay back there," neighbor Sue Dixon said. "Then he jumped my fence over here and went across the street."
 
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said the assailant  broke into Reese's house, kidnapped him, and forced him in the back of his silver vehicle. The assailant hit two police officers during the chase before crashing into a power pole in the East Arlington area.
 
"Shook up because nothing like this has ever happened in our neighborhood," Arguilla said.
 
Reese's granddaughter spoke to Action News Jax reporter Elizabeth Pace over the phone while she was at the hospital. She said Reese's injuries are "extreme" and has multiple broken bones and a collapsed lung. He has also been battling cancer.
 
Reese's wife, Sandra, died Dec. 31, 2017. One of his daughters, Suzanne, also died this past September. His family is continuing to ask for prayers.
 
"They served the church," Dr. David Tarkington said. "They loved each other, loved the church family."
 
Dr. Tarkington is the lead pastor for First Baptist Church Orange Park, which is a partner to Reese's church, Oak Harbor Baptist. He said the church will hold a prayer service outside of Oak Harbor Baptist Friday at 6 p.m. and will be open to the public. They said they will be praying for the recovery of Reese and the two JSO officers who were also injured in the crash.
 
"He is a very faithful, godly man, and a great friend," Dr. Tarkington said. "He loves this community, loves his church family."
 
His church has started a fundraiser to support these three families during this time. They said all proceeds will be split evenly among the families. Find their fundraiser by clicking HERE.