Lauderdale man arrested on kidnapping, burglary charges

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Nov. 4, 2003
A Lauderdale man remained in jail today after being arrested and charged with entering a woman's home early Saturday morning, tying her up and burglarizing her house.
Johnny Frank Gowdy, 40, 4067 York Road, Apt. C in Lauderdale, was arrested about 24 hours after a 72-year-old woman was assaulted in her home on Lauderdale Road.
Gowdy was being held on a $76,500 bond. He is charged with failure to obey a police officer, resisting arrest, giving false information, kidnapping and burglary of a dwelling.
Lauderdale County Sheriff Billy Sollie said at a news conference on Monday that sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene about four minutes after receiving a call from the woman.
Sollie, who declined to identify the victim, said she called law enforcement officers after she freed herself from being tied and bound in her home. The sheriff said the woman was not seriously injured.
Sollie said the person who broke into the woman's home may have been looking for money. He added that the victim reported that some personal jewelry was taken from her home.
Sollie said deputies found Gowdy late Saturday night at a club in Lauderdale. When Gowdy was approached by deputies, the sheriff said, he ran into a wooded area and was taken into custody 45 minutes later.