Alabama man charged in Chattooga County, Ga., kidnapping, arson case

Arkansas-Kentucky Live Blog
photo Ricky Richmond

The Chattooga County, Ga., Sheriff's Office arrested an Alabama man Friday who authorities say kidnapped a woman and set her car on fire.

Ricky Terrell Richmond, 45, of Henegar, Ala., was arrested on charges of arson, false imprisonment and criminal trespassing. The incident apparently happened June 24, and he was booked in the Chattooga County Jail on a warrant Friday.

Richmond remained in jail Monday afternoon in lieu of a $25,000 bond.

A sheriff's office incident report gives this account: On June 24, Richmond visited 32-year-old Angela Denise Smith at her mother's house in Valley Head, Ala. There, he kidnapped Smith and put her in his car.

She asked him to let her go, but he refused. Eventually, he drove to the home of Jerry Green on Gordon Lane in Cloudland, Ga. Green and Smith are friends, and her truck was parked at the home, deputies said.

When they got to Green's place, Smith hopped out and ran inside. She told Green that Richmond was about to set her car on fire.

Sure enough, when Green and Smith walked out to the front yard, Smith's truck was in flames. At this point, Richmond was in his own car. So Green ran toward Richmond, trying to stop him, authorities were told.

But Richmond kept driving, nearly hitting Green. Green then put the fire out and called police.

When a deputy arrived, he found a melted half-gallon gas can and a burned roll of paper, the report states.

Contact staff writer Tyler Jett at 423-757-6476 or tjett@timesfreepress.com.

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