In 2021 kidnapping, assault and battery

A Vian man who was charged in February 2022 with felony kidnapping and an assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charge, is set for a 9 a.m. Oct. 5 jury trial sounding docket, according to court records.

Robert “Bob” C. Ward Sr., 68, allegedly zip-tied a woman’s wrists and then shot at her as she reportedly ran into the woods, according to the original probable cause affidavit filed in the case.

If found guilty of the kidnapping charge, District Attorney Jack Thorp said the crime is punishable by imprisonment for up to 20 years, while the assault and battery charge is punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years in the penitentiary or one year in the county jail.

Sequoyah County Sheriff investigator Amy Edwards said she received a report from Deputy Roger Johnson regarding a woman running in the woods and being shot at in October 2021. According to the probable cause affidavit, on Oct. 10, 2021, Johnson and deputy Scot Dobbs were dispatched to South 4707 Road and while en route, dispatch advised the suspect was Ward and he was driving a blue F150 Ford pickup.

As the deputies continued driving, they came in contact with a female with zip ties on her wrists who needed medical attention, and took her to meet an ambulance.

According to the victim, Ward picked her up at a residence in Salli- saw and then drove her to his property where he reportedly accused her of taking his watch. Ward told the woman that “people wouldn’t recognize her again” and then zip-tied her wrists.

When Ward got out and walked to the passenger side, the woman reportedly jumped to the driver’s side, got out and ran off into the wooded area. The victim claimed as she was running, Ward allegedly fired three shots at her. She said on the third shot, she fell down and hurt her knee.

On Oct. 11 Edwards said she was contacted by Investigator Cindy Edwards in reference to the alleged kidnapping. Edwards made contact with the victim and she agreed to come to the Sheriff ’s Office the following day to make a statement in reference to the incident.

The victim alleged Ward picked her up because he needed help with something. She said she got into his pickup and asked him what was up, as he drove north on U.S. Highway 59. Ward reportedly told the victim he wanted his watch back and she told him she didn’t have it.

According to the affidavit, Ward then told the victim “every time you lie to me, I’m going to hit you in the mouth” and “I’m about to do something I don’t want to do, but have to.”

Ward reportedly turned onto Hwy. 101 and then told the victim, “only one more mile, tell me where my stuff is.” The victim told Ward once again she didn’t do anything and Ward reportedly told her “I guess you’ll have to die then,” according to the affidavit.

The victim said she believed Ward was joking at first. She said she thought about opening the truck door while they were driving when Ward said, “don’t think about running cause I’ll find you.”

After driving for some time, Ward reportedly parked the truck and put a zip-tie on one of the woman’s wrists. The woman said she became scared and started screaming, trying to get away from Ward. He then allegedly told her to give him her other arm or he would break it and the victim complied.

As he was putting the other zip-tie on, he told the woman “last chance, where’s my stuff” and she told him once again that she did not have it. Ward reportedly threw the victim back into the passenger seat and got out of the truck, and the woman said she thought about locking the doors.

Instead, she said while Ward was walking around the truck she grabbed her purse, jumped into the driver’s seat, opened the door, and took off running.

The victim claimed she could hear Ward shooting at her and after the third shot, she fell down and heard Ward yell for her to stop running or, “I’m going to kill you like the dog you are.” The woman claimed she kept running and was able to cut one of the zip-ties off with a pocketknife she had in her purse. She then grabbed her cell phone and called 911, according to the report.

The victim said it took a long time for deputies to find her and while she was on the phone, she believed Ward started shooting again. She said the deputies then showed up and took her to the hospital.

Following the incident, two men reportedly visited the victim and told her that Ward was just trying to scare her and if she’d just give up the watch, there wouldn’t be anymore problems.