Alaska State Troopers are looking for a suspect who allegedly helped kidnap and assault a man last week in North Pole.
Troopers say they got a report from the victim’s father on Thursday that his son had been shot in the leg. According to a Trooper dispatch, the victim was taken to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital for treatment of wound in his leg and numerous other injuries.
The victim told an investigator that he’d asked for a ride earlier that day from two North Pole residents, 43-year-old Jonathan Critchfield and 41-year-old Edwin Hanson. He said when he got into Hanson’s pickup, both of the men started asking him questions about stolen property.
According to a charging document, the victim said he didn’t steal anything. He said he was getting uncomfortable about the questioning and tried to get out of the vehicle, until Hanson pulled out what he said was a Beretta 22-caliber handgun The victim said he believed Hanson would kill him unless he stopped trying to escape.
The victim told the investigator that the two men took him to a residence in North Pole, where they tortured him for five hours. He said when Critchfield didn’t believe his answers, Critchfield shot him in the leg with an air rifle. The victim said the two men kicked him in the head and pistol-whipped him, then after the ordeal ended dropped him off at another location, where he called his father.
Troopers located Hanson on Thursday evening and arrested him on charges of kidnapping and third-degree assault. Hanson confirmed details of the victim’s account, according to the charging document. He was arraigned on those charges and pleaded not guilty, and is now being held at Fairbanks Correctional Center.
Critchfield, the other suspect, remained at-large as of Sunday evening. And Troopers are asking the public to help locate him. He’s considered armed and dangerous, so they say anyone who comes into contact with him should call 911 immediately. And they ask anyone who knows where he is to call Troopers at 907-451-5100.
Alaska State Troopers say tips can be submitted anonymously at: https://tip411.com/agencies/akstatetroopers/alerts/93575 or by texting AKTIPS and your tip to 847411.
