ARLINGTON, Texas -- A man is accused of kidnapping a North Texas rideshare driver by forcing them at gunpoint to drive more than 1,300 miles to Miami, Florida, according to federal court documents.
The incident started around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 16 in Arlington, a probable cause affidavit said.
The rideshare driver picked up the passenger - identified in the affidavit as Miguel Pastran Hernandez - and drove to the designated drop-off point, a gas station that appeared to be closed, the affidavit said.
That's when Pastran produced a gun, according to the affidavit.
The driver offered Pastran any possession in the car and Pastran threatened to tie the driver up and put the driver in the back of the vehicle, the affidavit alleges. The driver then pleaded to be allowed to drive and Pastran ordered the driver to drive to Florida, officials allege in the affidavit.
The driver continued driving on Pastran's orders until 11 a.m. Aug. 17, at which point Pastran ordered the driver to call the driver's children and tell them the driver was on a work trip as they drove through Louisiana toward Florida, according to the affidavit.
Pastran found a 9mm handgun unloaded with the ammunition stored separately that the driver had in the vehicle and kept it, the affidavit alleges.
They arrived in Florida the evening of Aug. 17 and after they arrived in the Miami Beach area, Pastran told the driver that he intended to kidnap a second person and hold that person for a $3 million ransom, officials allege in the affidavit.
Pastran ordered the driver to go to a Dollar General store to buy supplies Aug. 19, the driver hid in the bathroom, Pastran took the car keys, and fled on foot when law enforcement arrived, according to the affidavit.
Law enforcement found Pastran in Hollywood, Florida and Pastran tried to flee again, but was detained, officials said in the affidavit.
Officials found a loaded 9mm handgun in a bag that Pastran had tried to take off while fleeing that was determined to belong to the rideshare driver, according to the affidavit.
Pastran admitted to kidnapping the rideshare driver at gunpoint during an interview with law enforcement, officials said in the affidavit.
The rideshare driver wasn't identified in the court documents.
It was also unclear where in Arlington the incident started. Arlington police officials when asked about the incident on Wednesday said the department has not received any recent kidnapping reports. Their investigators were also not aware of any incidents similar to the reported kidnapping.