BRISTOL, W.Va. – A Lewis County man is facing kidnapping and robbery charges in Harrison County after deputies said he forced a man into the trunk of his vehicle before eventually stealing the vehicle.

A criminal complaint filed by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department stated that on March 29, deputies responded to the area of Raccoon Run Road in Bristol, located in Harrison County for a reported robbery on progress.

Deputies said that upon arriving on scene, they spoke with the male victim who stated that Douglas Freeman Jr., 18, of Weston, had stolen his vehicle, which was a blue 2008 Subaru Legacy. The man told police that he had given Freeman a ride to Clarksburg to visit some friends, and on their way back to the Salem area, Freeman pulled out a knife and instructed him to take Raccoon Run Road, according to the complaint.

The man told deputies that out of fear, he drove on the road for an unknown distance and once they were in a secluded area, Freeman ordered him out of the vehicle and forced him into the trunk, the complaint stated.

Deputies said that the victim was advised he was able to use the emergency trunk lever to escape. The complaint stated that the victim then called 911 and told the operator that Freeman had returned with the vehicle and stated that he “better not be on the phone with the police” and then struck him in the face with a closed fist. The complaint stated that Freeman then drove the vehicle down Raccoon Run away from Route 50.

The complaint stated that the following day, they learned that the victim had purchased the vehicle on March 25. Harrison County deputies said they received a statement from a Lewis County deputy who found the stolen vehicle crashed the same night as the incident. The deputy also stated that Freeman was driving the vehicle at the time it was wrecked.

Freeman has been charged with kidnapping and robbery, according to court documents. He is being held at Central Regional Jail and his bail has been set at $200,000.