St. Johns County deputies make arrest in kidnapping case

Eric Van Maier, 40, was arrested Saturday after being accused of kidnapping and aggravated battery.

Maier is currently being held for resisting an officer, and a judge set his bond at $80,500.

The St. Johns Sheriff's Office reported a woman being forcibly put into a vehicle on U.S. 1 near Palencia on Aug. 18.

STORY: St. Johns County deputies find woman seen being thrown into truck

According to deputies, a woman exited a pickup truck while it was still moving and ran to a construction site where she asked a person there for help.

The pickup truck circled the area and pulled back into the construction site, deputies said.

Deputies said a man exited the vehicle and forcibly took control of the woman, dragging her back to the pickup truck.

The woman said it was her boyfriend and asked the person to contact law enforcement, according to officials.

When the citizen tried to intervene, the man motioned threats to harm the individual. He then forced the woman into the truck and fled the scene, deputies said.

The Sheriff's Office released surveillance video of what they suspected was the truck from the incident.

On Sunday, Aug. 19, deputies said they located the female victim and identified Maier -- but he fled the area.

Deputies said the victim sustained only minor injuries.

Later that day, deputies found the truck from the surveillance video.

On Saturday at 3:27 p.m., Maier was booked into the St. Johns County Jail.

Cox Media Group