Akron man accused of assaulting, abducting girlfriend tried to evade arrest by jumping into Springfield Lake, police say

AKRON, Ohio -- After a weeklong manhunt, Akron police arrested a man accused of shooting into an East Akron home and abducting his girlfriend.

Officers took Paul Messenger, 23, into custody around noon on Saturday after he ran from officers and jumped into Springfield Lake, Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards said Monday.

Messenger is charged with aggravated burglary, abduction and felonious assault in connection with a March 16 incident in East Akron, according to Akron Municipal Court records.

A resident on the 900 block of Eva Avenue called police around 10:30 p.m. to report that a friend had come over to her house to hide from her abusive boyfriend, Edwards said.

The neighbor reported the woman had injuries consistent with assault, Edwards said.

They heard a knock at the back door, and the resident turned off the lights. A man, identified as Messenger, kicked in the back door and fired a shot into the house as he yelled for the victim to come out, Edwards said.

The victim came out and left with Messenger.

Detectives have spoken with the victim, but since she has a felony drug warrant, she refuses to turn herself in and police have not found her, Edwards told cleveland.com.

Messenger is in custody at the Summit County Jail.

To comment on this story, visit Monday’s crime and courts comment section.

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com’s Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.