Published: July 22, 2008 12:01 am         

Attempted abduction suspect appears in court

John P. Harpold, 28, of Phenix City, Ala., faces kidnapping, criminal confinement charges

A man charged with kidnapping and criminal confinement in an alleged attempted abduction at an apartment complex in Terre Haute earlier this month appeared in court Monday morning.

John P. Harpold, 28, of Phenix City, Ala., was charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of criminal confinement, both class-A felonies. He appeared before Judge Michael Eldred in Vigo Superior Court Division 1.

The charge of criminal confinement was increased from a class-C felony to a class-A felony, and Harpold’s bail, which was $100,000, was increased to $150,000 in the Vigo County jail.

Harpold was arrested Thursday in Alabama after an anonymous tip led police to him. In a statement to police, Harpold allegedly said he was involved in the crime. He was extradited Friday to Terre Haute.

Harpold allegedly attacked a 22-year-old woman around 5 p.m. July 6 by striking her in the back with a stun gun and trying to choke her to get her out of her car. The woman, who did not know Harpold, had a knife in her vehicle and was able to stab him in his hands and in his lower back. Harpold allegedly was treated for minor wounds in Lawrence County (Ill.) Memorial Hospital the same evening.

Harpold had been visiting family in Terre Haute at the time of the attack, according to court documents.

He will return to court next Monday.