Daytona Beach, FL - A 20-year-old Daytona Beach man adds kidnapping to his list of crimes after Daytona Beach Police say he beat a woman in front of the Daytona Beach Airport Hilton then put her in his car and drove away. Cornelius Johnson already has a number of drug charges, driving on a suspended license and resisting or attempting to elude law enforcement.
A witness reports arriving at the Hilton early Sunday (August 4) morning to find her friend in the fetal position on the ground near the front entrance, with Johnson standing over her and hitting her with a closed fist. He then stood the victim up and slammed her head several times into a Hilton van parked near the entrance. The incident reports that due to the victim being forcefully slammed into the vehicle, there was a dent to the rear passenger side.
The witness said she tried to help by spraying pepper spray in Johnson's face but that did not stop him. Johnson then dragged the victim to his car and put her into the front passenger seat. DBPD officers arrived to see Johnson speeding away eastbound on International Speedway Boulevard.
Officers talked to the Hilton front desk person who told them video on the surveillance monitors showed the altercation described by the witness.
The area around the hotel was canvassed and officers caught up to Johnson's vehicle traveling westbound on Clyde Morris Boulevard. Officers lit up their lights and sirens but Johnson tried to evade them. Checking for prior addresses for Johnson, officers found the vehicle in front of a home on Alabama Street.
Johnson came out of the house and was arrested without incident, followed by the victim. Officers read him rights but he refused to speak with them. The victim would not cooperate with officers and refused photographs and domestic violence paperwork. Officers did note bruising to the victim's left eye and several bruises in the neck area.
Johnson is in the Volusia County Jail facing numerous charges and being held on no bond.
